The Consequences of Change
by forevermagic
Summary: An AU version of the Harry Potter Series originally based on The Swan Princess, and now taken on a life of its own. Mostly Cannon pairings, but primarily H/G. Harry and his friends must work together to combat the evil that is Voldemort.
1. Prologue

**A/N: **Hey, this is my first fanfiction. It's AU and changes around a lot of the events of cannon (hence the title, which I'm hoping to change once I think of something better. Any ideas, let me know!). It will eventually be H/G and was originally based on the Swan Princess (the reason for most of the changes) but then it took on a life of its own. I wasn't planning on posting this until it was finished, but it looks to be getting pretty long and I was getting impatient. So enjoy!

**The Consequences of Change**

**Prologue**

James Potter smiled as he placed his 15 month old daughter in her crib. Smoothing the short, frizzy dark hair off her forehead, he kissed Hermione's cheek, before turning to his wife. Lily Potter was holding their son Harry, and smiling as she gently placed him in the cot next to his twin. She turned to James and he wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"They're perfect, aren't they?" she asked and he nodded in reply.

They were pulled from their moment as the watch on James' wrist began flashing brightly. He swore softly, and pulled away.

"What can Albus want now?" Lily questioned as they both headed downstairs to the fireplace in the lounge room.

"I don't know, but I shouldn't be long." He paused "I don't like leaving you alone with just the babies, but it has to be important if he's calling me away after everything he said about not leaving the house."

"We'll be fine, James. Nobody can find us here."

He still looked undecided, so she smiled reassuringly and handed him the small container of floo powder. He sighed.

"I'll call you as soon as I know anything." He promised and with a lost look, and a shout of "Order Headquarters!" he threw the powder into the fire, stepped into the glowing green flames, and vanished.

Lily busied herself with making a cup of tea, and had just sat down with a book, when James' head appeared in the fire.

"Lil, the Death Eater's are attacking Diagon Alley, and they need as many people as possible. I'll be back as soon as I can." He sounded harried, but there was a familiar spark of excitement in his hazel eyes; she knew he had been bored cooped up in the house for so long.

"Is there anything I can do? I can call Molly to come and look after the twins, and be there in ten minutes." James was already shaking his head.

"Arthur's with us. Molly's going to have enough trouble taking care of her own lot." He gave a wry grin, "I know you hate it Lil, but you need to stay there. I won't be gone long; I'll be back in a couple of hours."

Lily huffed, knowing he was right.

"Just be careful. If you get yourself killed, I'll never forgive you." He grinned at her and blew a kiss before his head disappeared.

Lily had just placed her book down and walked into the kitchen some time later, when she heard the sounds of the front door opening. Puzzled, she cautiously moved her hand to her wand as she stepped back into the lounge room, peering through to the hallway. The house was under the Fidelius charm, so they could get no visitors, and James never used the front door.

Before she had a chance to do more than level her wand, a stunning spell was shot towards her, impacting on an armchair as she dived for cover. Glancing up from behind the couch, she spied four Death Eaters in the hallway, and quickly shot out two stunners of her own. Knowing the twins were just upstairs, completely unprotected, Lily used the cover of her spells to head into the kitchen, hoping to lead them away from the stairs. In the middle of the kitchen, she turned to take her stance, pleased to see that all four of her attackers had followed her. She ducked a sickly green curse and fired off two stunners in quick succession. Her targets dropped, and she shifted her attention to the remaining two, narrowly avoiding a cruciatus. She spared a thought for Peter. Surely if the Fidelius had been breached, then Peter must've been attacked.

With a vicious yell, she blocked an ominous purple curse, and felt a small thrill of satisfaction as it rebounded on its sender, who immediately seized up and dropped to the floor. Now there was only one, and as they took a moment to warily assess each other, she chanced asking some of her more pressing questions.

"How did you get in here?" she spat.

"Why Lily, I'm hurt you don't recognise me."

Lily froze in shock. She knew that voice.

"Peter" she gasped "how could you? What are you doing here?" She was horrified to find her voice shaking, but she couldn't help it.

"I'm ensuring that my master will remain the most powerful wizard in the world." Peter sneered, roughly pulling off the mask covering his face.

Lily felt herself gripped by an overwhelming anger.

"Your _master_ is nothing but a cowardly bastard!" she spat, but Peter only grinned with a sick triumph.

"My _master_ is currently upstairs, killing your brats!"

Lily gasped in horror, lunging for the door with a guttural scream, but even as she did, she felt the floor move under her as an almighty explosion ripped through the house. As the walls began to crumple, she threw a quick stunning spell at Peter and ran through to the hallway and up the stairs, sobbing in terror. She skidded to a halt in front of the nursery, and nearly fainted in relief as she heard the loud cries of both of her children. She hurried towards them even as she felt the roof shudder, side-stepping the pile of robes in the middle of the room. With a cry, she gathered both Hermione and Harry up into her arms, pausing only briefly to register the jagged lightening-bolt cut on her son's forehead, before dashing back down the stairs and out the door.

Once safely standing in the street outside, she watched in desperate awe as the whole house seemingly collapsed in on itself. Trembling with a mixture of fear and relief, Lily hugged her children to her as she registered the full implications of everything that had happened. Peter was a traitor. Voldemort had nearly murdered her babies, and had now seemingly disappeared. And James. She had to tell James. But the idea of attempting to move either of her children in order to reach her wand was unthinkable right now, so she merely watched, softly reassuring them, as their beautiful cottage was destroyed.

It was only minutes later that a desperate James appeared, with Sirius, Remus, Arthur and Dumbledore behind. As soon as he saw her with Harry and Hermione, he sighed in relief, and embraced them all fiercely.

"Thank Merlin you're alright." He whispered into Lily's shoulder. "Dumbledore said the wards had been tripped and I didn't know what to think. What happened?"

Lily gently passed Hermione into his arms before she began, turning to speak to all of them.

"Peter is the traitor. He was working for Voldemort." She paused to allow them to digest the news. These four men and Molly Weasley were the only people who knew of the ruse with the Secret Keeper. Sirius and Remus had been told immediately after they enlisted Peter's help, and Dumbledore, Arthur and Molly, soon after. Of everyone they knew, these were the people she and James trusted above all others.

Their reactions were predictable. James, Sirius and Remus all had a strange mixture of anger, shock, and denial showing on their faces. Arthur was torn between anger and grief. Molly's mother had been the best friend of James' mother, and Molly and Arthur had always been close to the four Marauders.

Dumbledore looked merely resigned as he spoke.

"I think it may be best if we returned to my office and you can tell us exactly what happened, Lily." But Lily was already shaking her head.

"I left some Death Eaters, including Peter, unconscious in the kitchen when the house collapsed. We should capture them or..." she trailed off.

James took one look at her conflicted face and wrapped his free arm around her.

"Lil, it's not your fault. If they were killed when the house collapsed, it's their fault for being in there in the first place." He said firmly.

Glancing down, he noticed the gash on Harry's head and caught his breath. Seeing where he looked, tears started to coarse down Lily's face but before she had a chance to explain everything that had happened, Dumbledore spoke up.

"Sirius, Remus, Arthur, please go and see what you can find-"

"I'm going too." James interrupted. He turned to face Dumbledore defiantly as he continued, already passing Hermione back into his wife's arms. "I want to make sure Peter didn't get away."

Dumbledore surveyed him over his half-moon spectacles before nodding his assent.

"Very well."

Lily waited out the front, cuddling Harry and Hermione to her as the four men searched the house. After twenty minutes, she heard a shout and Sirius used his wand to levitate a body into the air.

"It's Macnair. He's still breathing. I think the table copped most of the damage." He moved the limp form onto the pavement before returning to help the others.

After a further ten minutes of searching, they had uncovered all but Peter, and Dumbledore had sent the attackers to the Ministry via portkey, with a signed note accompanying them. As the men reassembled on the street, Dumbledore turned to Lily.

"I think it may be best if we went somewhere else before you tell us what's happened, my dear." his face was grave, but he gave her a small smile.

"Albus if I may," Arthur interrupted "Maybe it would be best if we went to The Burrow. Lily and James, you're welcome to stay with us, I know Molly would insist, and we've got more than enough room. You can put Harry and Hermione down and then tell us what happened."

James looked at Lily, who nodded. "If it's no trouble, then that may be best, thank you." He smiled gratefully at Arthur as Dumbledore nodded and tapped his wand to a quill from his pocket.

"Everybody take hold."

There was a flash of light, and the street in Godric's Hollow was silent once more.

"The one thing I don't understand," Remus began "is how Harry managed to survive the curse." They had spent the better part of an hour at The Burrow's kitchen table, as Lily recounted the events of that night. Harry had been put into a crib in Ron's bedroom and Hermione in two-month-old Ginny's room, and now both Weasley parents, the Potters, Sirius, Remus, and Dumbledore, were trying to understand everything that had happened.

"I think it may have been the protection charms we placed on the twins when we first went into hiding." Lily suggested, staring down at the cup of tea resting in her hands. The repercussions had only just begun to sink in, and she was feeling rather exhausted.

"But those charms were completely untested!" Sirius burst out.

James only shrugged. "What else could it have been? We developed those spells based on ancient magic, utilising our love for the twins. There's no way of knowing what they're capable of."

"So does that mean You Know Who's really gone?"Arthur asked.

"I don't think so," Dumbledoor said pensively, "I can't be certain, but if I were to hesitate a guess, I believe that when Voldemort cast the killing charm at young Harry, the protection charms caused the spell to rebound back onto him. I don't think the rebounded spell would have been strong enough to kill him; not after the measures he has taken to become immortal, but I believe it is safe to say that he in a severely weakened state, and won't be returning any time soon."

There was a pause as they all digested this information.

"Does that mean that the war is over for now?" Molly asked.

Dumbledore nodded and Sirius let out a loud whoop of joy, throwing an arm each around Remus and Arthur's shoulders. In the minutes that followed, there was much hugging and relieved laughter, as they revelled at the end of the nightmare of the last few years. When they had all settled down, glasses of fire whiskey in hand, Dumbledore spoke.

"I will have to inform the ministry. There will be no way of disguising Harry's part in Voldemort's downfall, and I'm afraid Voldemort will one day regain his strength. In the mean time, however, while we must remain vigilant, we can finally live in peace."


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N:** I'd just like to say a big thank you to anyone reading, because to be perfectly honest, I really didn't expect many to, particularly when it's only been up for one day! This chapter, and I think the next as well, are little experts to give an idea of their lives before Hogwarts. I just thought I'd clarify, that yes, the Swan Princess stuff will come into the story eventually, but probably not until 6th year. Anyway, enjoy!

**Chapter One:**

Five-year-old Harry Potter ran down the stairs of Potter Manor, dragging his training broom behind him. Today was Christmas, and as they did every year, they were going to spend the day at The Burrow, with the Weasleys, Sirius, and Remus. Harry flung himself into the lounge room, landing in a heap right in front of the fireplace and his amused parents.

"Nope, sorry" His twin sister, Hermione, called from the top of the stairs "that was only 48 seconds. You told Ron you could do it in 35." She grinned at him as he pouted, walking down the stairs at a much more sedate pace.

Lily was tutting in disapproval, trying to hide a grin at her son's petulant face. James, however, had no such compunctions, and was openly chuckling in amusement.

"What do you owe him now?" he asked, as Harry continued to scowl. The sight of his young son trying to sulk whilst still panting heavily was too much for James, who promptly burst out laughing.

"I told him he could have my Agrippa card."Harry said, before turning to Hermione with a pleading look on his face.

"Come on, just one more try. _Please_?" he begged.

Hermione merely laughed and shook her head.

"Uh uh, the deal was you only got one shot, and besides, I want to leave to see Ginny already."

"That's right" Lily spoke up "Come on Harry, we're all ready to go. Grab some floo powder and get into the fire."

With a defeated sigh, Harry threw the powder into the fire, called out 'The Burrow', and stepped into the green flames. When the dizzying ride was over, he landed in The Burrow's familiar living room.

"Harry dear, Merry Christmas!" Molly greeted as she pulled him into a fierce hug.

He returned the greeting before turning to observe the large Christmas tree sitting in the corner. As Molly moved on to hug Hermione behind him, he spotted the four Christmas baubles he, Hermione, Ron and Ginny had made just last week. With a proud grin on his face, he moved through to the kitchen to continue his greetings.

"Ginny, you're not coming!"

Harry watched as Ron argued with his sister. They were standing nearly toe to toe, Ron looming over Ginny's head, but she was not giving up without a fight. Christmas lunch was over, and he and Ron had just been heading out to play with their training brooms when Ginny insisted on accompanying them. While Ginny was definitely more of a tom boy than Hermione, she generally didn't mind going off and playing with their dolls together while the boys did their own thing. The one exception to this was Quidditch, which she loved with the same fervour as the two boys. Only Ron was adamant that she not play.

"Why not? I'm on'y one year younger than you!" Ginny's face was going red, and Harry knew it was from rage.

"Girls can't play Quidditch, and that's final!" Ron shouted.

At this, Ginny set her jaw and folded her little arms.

"Oh yeah? Then I'll race you. If I win, you _have_ to let me play, but if you win, then I'll go colour with 'Mione." She turned to Harry "Harry, give me your broom."

With this, she stuck out her hand. Harry hesitated. He really loved his new broom, and wasn't quite sure he should trust Ginny with it. Her eyes narrowed as he paused, and he quickly passed her the broom, remembering what she'd done to Fred and George just last week when they had thrown her favourite doll in the lake.

Ginny turned back to Ron and stuck out her right hand.

"Shake." She commanded.

With a smirk, Ron shook her hand and headed out to the backyard. They were not allowed to go past the first line of trees, so they couldn't play in the paddock as the older Weasley brothers did, but the backyard would be big enough for a race on the training brooms.

Hermione had followed them out and took up position at the garden shed.

"Right," she called "First one to reach me is the winner."

Harry moved out of the way as the two Weasley siblings took their places.

"On your marks, get set, go!" he shouted.

With a look of fierce determination on her young face, Ginny launched the broom and shot straight towards Hermione. Ron, looking surprised at the familiarity with which she moved on the broom, struggled to catch her as they crossed the hundred metres to the shed. Harry watched, impressed in spite of himself, as Ginny let out a whoop of victory and landed squarely in front of Hermione. Despite the fact that the broom only had a limited speed and height, her face was flushed with the pleasure of flying, and she grinned as she handed Harry back his broom.

"How did you learn to fly like that, Ginny?" Ron's tone was accusatory, but it was clear that he was mildly impressed.

Ginny grinned mischievously up at him.

"I've been practising on Fred's old training broom for months!" she said proudly. "Every time you went out to watch the others play in the paddock, I took it out of the shed and flew around the yard."

Hermione was laughing at Ron's dumbfounded look.

"I guess you'll have to let her play now!" she grinned.

Ron sighed, but reluctantly agreed, as Ginny threw her arms around Hermione's neck, laughing gleefully.

Harry smiled as he lay on the floor in the living room, next to Hermione. Ron and Ginny were to his left, arguing softly about whether or not the HollyHead Harpies were a better Quidditch team than the Chudley Cannons. The familiar sound was comforting as he watched the adults laughing together on the couches. Sirius was telling a story Harry was too tired to pay attention to, but by the reactions of the others, particularly James, Remus, and Arthur, it must have been funny.

The twins were lying on the floor under the Christmas tree, pretending they hadn't been the ones to stripe Percy's hair green, so that he looked rather like a candy cane. Percy himself was unaware, his nose buried in the transfiguration book Remus had given him. Bill and Charlie were having an animated discussion in the corner, bent over a game of chess. As he watched, Charlie's knight sent Bill's bishop flying off the table, landing just near Harry's arm and narrowly avoiding Hermione's head. Harry half-heartedly threw it back to Charlie, who grinned at him and gave a thumbs-up in thanks.

It was late, long passed his bedtime, and the quiet atmosphere of The Burrow, along with the cheery glow of the warm fire, was causing Harry to drift off, even as he laughed at Ginny's comment that, judging by their last game, the Cannons would have a better chance of winning the championship blindfolded. Hermione was fast asleep, her head resting on a cushion. Harry briefly thought of mentioning that Puddlemere United could beat both of their teams in a heartbeat, but couldn't seem to work up the energy. He'd just have to tell them later, probably when he saw them tomorrow. With a soft sigh, Harry gave in and let sleep enfold him.


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Hey guys! As always, thanks to everyone reading this, particularly the reviewers! Also I want to apologise, both because this chapter is pretty short, and because I just realised that I've misspelt "Dumbledore" all through the Prologue. Stupid mistake, but it's fixed for all future chapters. Anyway, enjoy!

**Chapter Two:**

Nine-year-old Ginny laughed as Hermione splashed her. They were sitting on the edge of the lake on the grounds of Potter Manor, bare feet dangling in the water. It was the first truly warm day of spring, and they had decided to take advantage of it by going for a swim. After a few happy hours of playing, they were sitting on the bank, eating the lunch Lily had packed for them earlier that morning. Hermione had a pensive look on her face as she watched the boys land their brooms and head towards them.

"Do you ever want it to just stay like summer forever?" she asked.

Ginny grinned. "Nah. If it was always summer, we'd never get Christmas!"

Ron, hearing the last comment, looked appalled.

"If it was never Christmas, we'd never get Christmas lunch, or Christmas pudding! And the presents! What'd we do then?" he and Harry flopped onto the grass next to the two girls, digging into the picnic basket beside them.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Honestly Ron! All you _ever_ think about is food. And Harry, Mum's not going to be happy when she sees that hole in your shirt."

Harry merely grinned and turned to Ginny.

"So why all the distressing thoughts about no Christmas?" he asked

"Hermione was thinking about what it'd be like if summer lasted forever. I just pointed out the flaw in her plan." She gently kicked her feet, causing a spray of water to hit both of the Potter siblings seated on either side of her.

Ron was plowing into his third sandwich as he looked at Hermione.

"What would you want that for?" he asked "I mean summer's great and all, but if it lasted forever, then we'd never get to go to Hogwarts next year."

Ginny huffed at this. "That's easy for you to say! You're not going to be the one left here while your three best friends are having the time of their lives practicing magic!"

"Cheer up Gin," Harry gently nudged her with his elbow. "It won't be long before you join us, and you'll see us every holidays."

Ginny only sighed and lay back on the grass. "And in the mean time, I'll be stuck here with no one but Mum and Dad for company."

"Well, we'll just have to write you letters then," Hermione stated, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Loads and loads, everyday. Won't we Harry? Ron?"

Harry nodded his agreement and smiled reassuringly at her, but Ron merely looked thoughtful.

"I don't know. It might be difficult to write _every_day. Every week, maybe, but we're going to have all that work to do, and exploring the castle, and playing Quidditch and everything, so we won't be able to write _every_ day."

Harry rolled his eyes at his friend's lack of tact as Ginny sighed again. "Well, what if we promised to take it in turns then, that way you'll still get at least one letter from us every day, as well as any others we just feel like sending."

Ginny seemed to consider this for a moment, before looking up into Harry's eyes.

"Promise?" she asked "You won't get bored of writing to little old me?" she was smiling, but Harry could tell this was something that was bothering her, so he solemnly stuck out his hand.

"I promise that one of us will write at least one letter to you every single day, and we'll tell you everything that happens." She shook his hand, and in a softer voice, he continued "You're our best friend, Gin. We're not going to forget you just because we're at Hogwarts for a couple of months."

She grinned up at him gratefully, and feeling satisfied that he'd made his point, he dropped her hand.

They were having one of their annual camp-outs that night, in the little glade at the back of the Potter grounds. It was the perfect spot for camping, with space enough for their two tents and room to lie under the stars if they preferred. There was a small spring bubbling in the corner, and it was surrounded on all sides by trees, thinner in the front than the back. It was a truly beautiful little area, which the four children had discovered whilst exploring many years ago, and had been home to their yearly camp-out ever since. This worked out well for the parents, as it meant they were still protected by the Manor's wards and close enough to the house if something went wrong, but the adults didn't have to actually go camping with them.

With the small fire James had lit crackling merrily in the background, the four children spread their sleeping bags out on the grass in a small circle, a bag of marshmallows and various other goodies between them. Hermione and Ginny insisted on camping "muggle-style", as they called it, with plain muggle tents, sleeping bags, and the traditional muggle campfire foods and activities. Butterbeer and exploding snap were strictly prohibited. Instead, they played games like charades, which Sirius had introduced them to a few years ago.

"It's a horse! No, a zebra! A porcupine?" Ginny looked on in confusion as Ron mimed, what she assumed, were spikes sticking out of his back.

Harry and Hermione were in fits of laughter by this point, as Ron's face became more and more frustrated.

"One minute left." Hermione choked out between breaths. Harry was beyond talking at this point.

Ron was now doing a strange movement with his arms that Ginny thought was supposed to be the letter 'C', before flapping his arms like wings.

"Chicken?" Ginny asked, getting more and more frustrated herself.

As Ron shock his head and Hermione called time, Ginny threw her arms into the air.

"I give up," she stated "lets swap teams. And what the bloody hell _was_ that anyway?"

"It was a _dragon_!" Ron fumed. "You know, four legs, spikes, wings?"

"But what was the letter 'C'?" she asked.

"It was 'C' for _Charlie_, 'cause he's going off to work with dragons!"

Ginny merely rolled her eyes. "Right. 'Cause of course that's exactly what I think when I see the letter 'C'. I'm on Hermione's team now. Let's see how well you work with Harry."

"Uh uh uh!" Harry was shaking his head. "You and 'Mione are the best at this game, you can't be together."

"Fine!" Ginny said "then Ron can go with 'Mione, and I'll go with you."

Hermione didn't look particularly happy, but couldn't argue with the fact that the Weasley siblings were down by 20 points. "Right then. In that case, we'll have a break to toast the marshmallows, and then start again when we're done."

As Ron and Hermione walked into the trees to collect some sticks, Harry and Ginny placed two marshmallows on each of the four sticks they'd already found. Seeing that they still had time left before the other two returned, they sat down at the fire and began toasting their marshmallows. Within minutes, the smooth white surface had turned golden brown, and they ate the gooey treats in companionable silence.

Without a word, Ginny handed her second toasted marshmallow over to Harry, who just grinned before eating it. While she loved toasting the treats until they reached golden-brown perfection, Ginny didn't particularly like eating them. She had one every year, purely for the sake of it, and then gave the rest away to her friends.

"You know what you said earlier, about writing all the time." Ginny spoke quietly, staring into the fire.

At Harry's nod, she continued. "You don't have to, you know."

Harry looked up and caught her eye. "We want to." He grinned. "Mind you, you have to write back too. This deal goes both ways. We may be having the time of our lives at Hogwarts, but we'll still miss you. We'll want to know what you're getting up to too. Something's always going on at The Burrow."

"It'll be weird being there on my own though" Ginny mused. "Ever since I can remember, it's always been full of people. And if we weren't over here, then you guys were always there too."

"Mum and Dad and Sirius and Remus will still be there all the time. And you know Sirius has had a soft spot for you since you turned the twins hair pink for a week" he grinned at the memory.

Ginny giggled. "You're right, of course. After all," she grinned and nudged his side "the 'Boy Who Lived' knows everything there is to know about anything."

Harry groaned and shook his head. "I think I'll leave that to Hermione, thanks all the same."

Ginny looked up at the sky. "Well, I'll survive at any rate. Just don't go making friends with any Malfoys on me." She grinned, knowing Harry would remember the insufferable prat they'd met at a ministry function the year before.

He grinned in reply. "I solemnly swear."

Giggling Ginny lay down on the grass, listening to the sounds of the nearby spring, and Ron and Hermione arguing as they returned from the trees. It would be difficult, surviving the next year without the Potter twins or Ron around, but she'd do it. After all, she was a Weasley, and Weasleys could survive anything.


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: **Right, well I know that I've already posted a chapter tonight, but I've decided that I'm in need of a distraction, so I posted this too. Now I'm about to rant a little, so feel free to skip to the next part. The reason I needed a distraction is that I just got back from the hairdressers. The one I usually go to was booked out for the next month or so, and my hair really needed a trim, so I decided to just go to the local one near Coles. Big mistake. Before the cut, my hair reached half way down my back. I asked for a small trim, and it now only just touches my shoulders. I'm sure you're thinking I probably should have stopped her when I realised how short it was, but for some reason, she cut it when it was still dry, and as it had been in a bun all day, rather curly. I stupidly thought the curls were the reason for it seeming so short. So I'm not particularly happy.

Anyway, sorry for making you read that (if you did, and I won't blame you if you didn't) but I had to get it off my chest. I am also sorry for this extremely long author's note and the shortness of this chapter. Now, you will probably notice in the next few chapters, and even in this one, that things aren't going according to cannon. I have decided that it would suit my storyline better if the Chamber of Secrets stuff happened in the trio's first year, as Ginny would have more reason to write in the diary. So those years are swapped around. Enjoy!

**Chapter 3:**

Diagon Alley was bustling with people as the Potters and Weasleys manoeuvred their way through the crowds. With only a week before school was to restart, everywhere was teeming. Thankfully, they only had Flourish and Blott's left before they would have finished getting everything they needed for Ron, Harry, and Hermione's first year at Hogwarts. The crowds seemed even thicker as they reached the bookstore, and it wasn't long before they discovered the reason why.

"Oh mum, look!" Hermione cried. "Gilderoy Lockhart's here. I can't believe it, he's written practically the whole booklist!"

Molly immediately turned her head to read the sign as Lily nodded distractedly to her daughter. James rolled his eyes at Sirius, who had decided to join them for the day as their "guard". It was hardly necessary, but Sirius said that as a trained Auror, he was capable of protecting Harry from any swarms of reporters who happened to want to interview the Boy Who Lived. When James had pointed out that, as head of the Auror department, he was more than capable of circumventing paparazzi swarms, Sirius had merely shrugged and said it would be a well deserved break from work.

Harry, Ron and Ginny followed Hermione into the store somewhat hesitantly, as the queue of people threatened to push out the door. It was as they were making their way through to the transfiguration section, that Harry heard a loud exclamation, and suddenly found himself pulled onto a small platform.

"Well if it isn't Harry Potter!" the man, whom Harry assumed to be Gilderoy Lockhart, clasped an arm firmly around Harry's shoulders and turned to the applauding crowd. From his place on the platform, Harry could see that Ginny seemed to be struggling to contain her amusement at his predicament. Wondering where exactly his "guard" had gotten to, Harry only half listened as Lockhart began a very long-winded announcement.

"-and that is why I shall be taking over the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts this year!" this sentence jolted Harry out of his musings, and he was barely able to suppress a groan. Lockhart was looking at him as though he should say something, when Harry was saved by the appearance of Sirius, James in tow, glaring threateningly at Lockhart.

"If you'll excuse us, Lockhart, we have business to attend to." Without waiting for an answer, Sirius grabbed Harry's arm and pulled him back to his friends, before catching sight of a photographer, and moving off to apprehend him.

"Merlin, Harry, you have the worst luck." Ginny grinned. "If you'd been standing just a couple of steps to the right, he wouldn't have seen you when that witch called out for him to marry her."

Harry only grunted, not in the mood to joke about it yet.

"It seems Potter's finally gotten bored of his charity case." The cold drawl caused Harry's neck to stiffen as he turned to face Draco Malfoy. They had run into each other at various functions that the Weasleys and Potters attended, and all four of them had taken an instant dislike to his superior attitude.

"Shove off Malfoy." Harry glared at the blond boy, who merely smirked.

"Bet you loved that, didn't you Potter? All that attention, the photographers."

Ginny, looking incensed, stepped forward.

"Why don't you just crawl on back to your precious _manor _Malfoy, and save us all the _pleasure_ of your company." She growled.

"Looks like Potter's got himself a girlfriend. Or should I say _groupie_?" Malfoy's smirk widened as Harry and Ron each took a menacing step forward, while Hermione restrained Ginny with a firm hand on her arm.

"Ron!" said Arthur, struggling over through the crowd with Fred and George. "What are you doing? It's mad in here, let's go outside."

"Well, well, well – Arthur Weasley."

It was Lucius Malfoy. He stood with his hand on Draco's shoulder, sneering in just the same way.

"Lucius," said Arthur, nodding coldly.

"Busy time at the Ministry, I hear," Lucius drawled. "All those raids... I hope they're paying you overtime?"

He reached into Ron's cauldron and extracted a very old, battered copy of _A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration_.

"Obviously not," he said. "Dear me, what's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?"

Arthur flushed, and from the corner of his eye, Harry could say his father and Sirius making their way towards them.

"We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy," Arthur replied.

"Clearly," said Mr Malfoy, his pale eyes straying to Ginny's tattered play clothes. "...and I thought your family could sink no lower – "

Before Arthur could retort, James and Sirius, reaching the group, placed a hand on each of his shoulders and glared at Malfoy.

"I think it might be best if you left, Malfoy" James growled.

With a sneer, Mr Malfoy thrust Ron's old transfiguration book out towards him, eyes glittering with malice.

"Here, boy – take your book – it's the best your father can give you –"

With a disdainful glance at Molly hurrying towards them, he beckoned to Draco and swept from the shop.

Ginny sat on Ron's bed, watching morosely as Ron packed his trunk for the journey to Hogwarts the next day. It was their last night together before she would be left on her own, while the other three were off having adventures at school. To celebrate their last day of freedom, the Potters, Remus and Sirius were coming round for tea, but they weren't due to arrive for another twenty minutes.

Ron, noticing her downcast look, paused in his packing.

"Cheer up, Gin," he said in a rare display of sensitivity. "The time will fly by, and we'll be back before you know it."

As he spoke, he lazily waved his arm, causing a small black book to fly out of the transfiguration text in his hand. With a look of surprise, he picked it up and opened the cover.

"It's a diary," he said.

He shrugged and threw it to Ginny. "Here Gin, you have it. Someone must have left it in here and it's never been written in."

Ginny deftly caught the book and glanced at it before placing it on the bed covers next to her.

"Thanks, but a diary won't make up for the fact that you're all leaving," she said.

Before he could reply, Molly called for them to come down the stairs to set the table, and he put his concern for Ginny away for later.

Ron soon forgot about Ginny's earlier mood, however, when the Potters arrived. Harry came tumbling out of the fireplace looking extremely excited, and only spent a hurried few minutes greeting the adults, before pulling Ron and Ginny over to a corner.

He waited for Hermione to reach them and then burst out "You'll never guess what happened to me today!"

Throwing an amused look to Hermione, who merely rolled her eyes, Ginny asked "What?"

"I was attacked by a house elf!" Harry exclaimed, looking pleased to hear the Weasley siblings' gasps of shock.

Ron looked confused. "But Millie would never do that," he said, naming the elderly elf who had been serving the Potters since before James was born.

Harry looked exasperated. "It wasn't Millie. He was called Dobby, and he kept telling me I couldn't go to Hogwarts."

"It doesn't sound like much of an attack." Ginny said dryly.

That's 'cause I haven't told you how he pushed me off my broom!" Harry defended. "Luckily mum was in the garden and cast a charm before I hit the ground. She was pretty furious, though."

Ron and Ginny both winced at the thought of Lily's temper. It rivalled their mother's, particularly when someone was hurt.

"Mum came running up and found the elf," here Hermione took over the story. "She cast an _immobilius _charm on him and started questioning him, but he just apologised and said he only wanted to hurt Harry enough that he would stay home from Hogwarts. Then, before she could ask him anything else, he disapparated. House elves have their own magic, you know, so he was able to get through the wards easily enough."

Ron and Ginny each took a moment to digest this story.

"So," Ron began "You're telling me that a nutter house elf broke into your gardens and tried to kill you so you wouldn't go to Hogwarts?"

"I don't think he was trying to kill me, exactly," Harry said.

"Wouldn't have made much difference once you hit the ground." Ginny replied.

Hermione looked thoughtful. "What I don't understand is _why_ he wouldn't want Harry going to Hogwarts. Did he say, Harry?"

"He just said it was too dangerous." Harry shrugged.

"Says the one who pushed you off your broom," Ron retorted.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I'm sure it's nothing. Besides, we told Dad, so there's nothing to worry about."

"I wish a house elf would turn up and tell me to _go_ to Hogwarts," Ginny sighed.

Hermione put her arm around her friend.

"Just four months, and we'll be back for the Christmas Holidays," she said bracingly. "In the mean-time, we'll just have to make the most of tonight."


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: **Hello everyone! Don't worry, no rants today, but I should warn you that I might not have a chance to post tomorrow or Saturday, but I will try my best. It just depends on how much homework I get, really, and how much time is left in the weekend in which to do it. Anyway, enjoy the chapter, and I apologise for how short it is.

**Chapter Four:**

Potter Manor was in chaos as its four residents rushed around on the morning of September 1st, desperately looking for lost socks, books, or, in James' case, his tie.

"Harry do you have my copy of _Hogwarts: A History_?" Hermione called as she ran into his bedroom.

From downstairs, Harry could here his mother calling for them to "Hurry up, or I'm going without you! Yes, James, you too!"

Throwing his sister the book he'd been using to weigh down his clothes, he slammed the lid of his trunk closed and began pulling it out of the room.

"'Mione, are you all set?" he asked, as she dashed back into her own room across the hall, treasured book in hand.

"Of course I am!" she replied indignantly. "And I would have been down there a lot sooner if you hadn't stolen my book."

Harry just laughed and pulled his trunk down the stairs. Dropping it in front of the fireplace, he headed into the kitchen, Hermione following behind. Lily was standing at the bench, fixing James' tie as he ate a piece of toast.

"Honestly, James," she said. "One of these days you're going to have to learn how to do this yourself."

James merely gave her a cheeky grin and kissed her cheek.

When she spotted her children, Lily pointed to the stack of food on the table.

"Eat fast. We've only got fifteen minutes before we leave. It's a good thing we're flooing to Kings Cross, or we'd never get their on time!" she said.

Harry and Hermione obediently loaded their plates and dug in.

"Are you coming to the station, Dad?" Hermione asked.

"Of course I am, sweetheart," he replied with a smile, ruffling her hair. "Do you think I would me miss my kids' first train ride to Hogwarts?"

Hermione grinned and pulled away, fixing her hair.

"Actually, now that you mention it," he said "I have something for you guys. Hurry up and meet me in the Lounge."

Harry and Hermione quickly scoffed the rest of their breakfast as James headed off in the direction of the study. With Lily looking slightly disapproving following behind, they ran into the lounge and sat excitedly on the couch.

"Now," James began, returning to the room with his arms held teasingly behind his back. "You both know the stories of what Sirius, Remus and I used to get up to as the 'Marauders', right?"

At their eager nods, he continued. "Well today I'd like to pass on the secrets of our success."

With that, he removed a package from behind his back with a flourish and handed it to them.

"This is your invisibility cloak!" Hermione said reverently, handling the sheer fabric with a look of awe.

Harry, however, had found the blank parchment resting underneath it. "Is this the Marauders' Map?" he asked with a wide grin.

"You bet!" James said, delighting in the awestruck looks of his children.

Lily cleared her throat meaningfully and he turned towards the twins with a serious look.

"Now, just because we're giving you these, doesn't mean your mother and I consent to you breaking any rules. These are strictly for emergencies." Hermione nodded fervently, but as Lilly turned away, James winked at his kids.

"Right," Lily broke in "If we don't leave now, we'll be late. Hermione, you first, then Harry, and your father and I will bring your trunks."

With an excited smile, Hermione threw in her floo powder, called out "King's Cross Station!", and vanished into the flames. Seconds later, it was Harry's turn, and after a dizzying ride, he landed in the fireplace of Platform Nine and Three Quarters.

Harry stared in awe at the scarlet steam engine waiting in front of him. He was about to begin his first ever ride to Hogwarts! The platform was bustling with wizards, and he looked around for any familiar signs of red hair. Just as he thought he might have spotted them hurrying through the barrier, there was a pop and his parents appeared next to him, each carrying a trunk. As he and Hermione reached for their trunks, he heard a shout and turned to see the Weasleys headed towards them.

After a quick hello, his attention was caught by his mother as she and Molly gathered all of the children around them.

"Now, stay safe and look after each other," Lily said.

"Fred, George, Percy," Molly broke in. "Make sure you keep an eye out for these three, and Fred, George, I want you two to behave yourselves this year! If I get one more letter saying that you've gone and blown up a toilet, or something, look out!"

"Blown up a toilet!" George said "We've never blown up a toilet!"

"Great idea, though, thanks mum!" Fred added.

Molly merely rolled her eyes as the whistle blew, warning them that the train would depart in three minutes.

She and Molly enfolded each of the children into a hug, looking as though they were fighting back tears, and James followed suit, saving Hermione for last.

"Now you be a good girl, and I know you'll blitz all of those tests!" he said with a grin.

Ginny stepped forward, and gave them all hugs, trying her best to smile.

"You will write, won't you?" she asked, looking from one to the other.

Hermione pulled her into another hug.

"We'll write so often, you'll be sick of us by the time we come home for Christmas!" she said.

Ginny laughed and watched them board the train with Harry's owl, Hedwig and Hermione's cat, Crookshanks; birthday gifts from Sirius and Remus.

The whistle blew again and the train began to move, as Fred, George, Percy, Ron, Harry and Hermione waved from a carriage window.

Half laughing and half crying, Ginny ran after the train, just in time to hear Fred call out as the train rounded the bend.

"We'll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat!"

**~**

That night, Ginny sat on her bed in The Burrow, hating the empty silence filling the house. There were no explosions from the twins' room, no Percy lecturing her on proper Quidditch etiquette, and no Ron badgering her to play chess. Her parents were just downstairs, conversing quietly, but The Burrow was a place made for noise and excitement; the unnatural silence felt eerie.

Feeling slightly depressed and wondering if it was possible to be homesick for a school she'd never visited, Ginny glanced at the photo on her bedside table. It had been taken at her birthday party only a few weeks ago, and showed her, Hermione, Harry and Ron, all with their arms around each other and big smiles on their faces. Ginny loved the photo, but right now it was just making her sad, so she turned to survey the rest of the small table instead.

There, resting innocently beneath her lamp was the little black diary which Ron had given her the night before. Thinking she may as well decorate the bland thing, Ginny reached for her new set of glittering rainbow inks, a birthday gift from the Potters, and a quill. After dipping the quill into the bottle of shimmering purple ink, Ginny made a deft stroke down the cover, intending to draw a unicorn. To her astonishment, the ink sank right into the cover and disappeared.

Confused, Ginny tried again, with the same results. Frustrated at the thought of someone placing an _imperturbable_ charm on such a useless book, Ginny turned to the front page. Hoping, rather fruitlessly, that a different colour might improve her luck, Ginny dipped her quill instead into the glittering pale blue ink, and drew a long line across the page.

Again, the ink sank through. Puzzled as to why someone would make a diary that was impossible to write in, Ginny turned the page to see if the ink had gone through to the other side. When she had verified that that page too, was clear, Ginny flipped back to the front and was about to give the diary up as a lost cause, when a word appeared on the page in fresh, black ink.

**Hello?**

Ginny paused. She'd never heard of a book writing back before, but really, things like this happened everyday in the wizarding world, didn't they? Someone had probably enchanted the diary as a joke, though she guessed it would have to be a pretty advanced charm.

Hesitantly, she dipped the quill back into the blue ink and paused, hand suspended over the page. A brief memory of her father flashed into her brain, a warning. _Never trust anything that can think for itself, if you can't see where it keeps its brain._ But this was just someone's old diary, surely nothing worth worrying about.

Before she could change her mind, Ginny quickly lowered her quill to the page.

_Who's this?_

There was a pause as the words sank into the page, and Ginny waited, feeling slightly foolish. And then the black ink appeared again.

**My name is Tom, what's yours?**

With a small smile, Ginny put her quill back to the diary and wrote. Maybe she wouldn't be completely lonely this year, after all?


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: **I'd really like to know what you think of this chapter, as it's a bit different. I like writing in letter format, and I think it's a good way to get through this year when they're separated. Anyway, I am sorry I didn't update yesterday or Friday, but I had a really busy weekend. Oh, and I saw Half Blood Prince and loved it! Though I do think they should have had some scenes between Harry and Ginny after the kiss, as their relationship was kind of left up in the air. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Chapter Five:**

_Dear Ginny,_

_How are things at home? You're going to just love Hogwarts when you come next year! It's absolutely magical! I mean, of course it's _magical_, but this is amazing. I think my favourite lesson so far is Transfiguration, but they're all so interesting, it's hard to choose. I'm sharing a dorm with two girls, Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown. They're both nice enough, but very giggly; into gossip and nail polish and things, you know?_

_Oh! I just remembered that you didn't know, we all got sorted into Gryffindor, although it was a close call. The sorting hat definitely considered putting me in Ravenclaw, and it took an age to decide where to put Harry, and he _still _won't tell me what it said. Ron, of course, only had to place the hat on his head before it shouted out '_Gryffindor!'_, so no surprises there. As you know from your brothers, Professor McGonagall is our head of house. She's quite strict, but seems fair. Professor Snape, on the other hand absolutely loathes Harry and I. He went to school with our parents, you know, and seems to hold some kind of grudge against Dad. I swear, I thought Harry was going to blow up when he insulted Dad in our first potions lesson. _

_You'll have to tell me everything that's going on at home, too. I miss everyone, particularly you, so much! I'm looking forward to going home and seeing you again at the Christmas holidays, although I already love Hogwarts like a second home (or third, I guess, if you consider how much time Harry and I spend at The Burrow!). I wish you could be here now, but I guess we'll just have to rely on letters for a while. _

_Write back as soon as you can, and Harry and Ron say 'hi'. (One of them will write your next letter, as we've thought it best to take turns.)_

_Lots of love, Hermione (and Harry and Ron)_

_Dear Hermione (and Harry and Ron),_

_Things have been pretty quiet here, but that could be because you've only been gone for two days! Still, I love hearing from you, and all about Hogwarts. I do have some news, though. You know how Charlie wasn't going to be able to come to Christmas this year? Well Mum and Dad have decided to bring Christmas to him. That's right, we're all (Potters, Remus and Sirius included) going to Romania for Christmas! Mum couldn't stand the thought of "her little baby all alone at Christmas" (though I'm sure Charlie wouldn't have minded too much), and she didn't want this to be the first year where we weren't all together for the holidays. So, in typical Mum fashion, she came up with a solution for everyone. We're leaving the day after you guys get back, and going by international portkey, (probably two or three with all of us plus luggage) to stay for two weeks. So the holidays should be interesting this year._

_How's school going? Done any good pranks yet? (Hermione you can close your eyes for this next bit if you don't want to be caught aiding and abetting mischief!) I found an interesting spell when I was going through one of Bill's old school books and I thought you might like to try it out on a certain pompous prat (and no, I don't mean Percy, I was thinking more along the lines of Malfoy). Let's just say that it has amusing results, involving ballet, hot pink stripes, and possibly even fairy wings. The spell is (and I'll write the pronunciation to avoid any unfortunate mistakes)_rose-ailes dansinnium (roz-el don-zin-e-um) _accompanied by a quick anti-clockwise half circle swish with your wand. I want pictures!_

_Alright, 'Mione, you can look again. Don't worry it's nothing permanent. Anyway, I want details on all your amazing exploits, and anything else you can think to tell me. _

_Lots of Love,_

_Ginny_

_Dear Gin, _

_Alright, I have to say, you are the queen of pranks! We decided to try the spell on a certain Slytherin who's name I won't mention here (no surprise he got into Slytherin though, is it? By the way, our parents aren't reading this are they? Maybe we should devise a code?). Anyway, we tried it during breakfast and you should have seen it! All of a sudden he jumped up; and he looked as shocked as anyone when he did, and his robes changed to this hot pink tutu with tights and everything. I have to say, the tiara and fairy wings were just the icing on the cake! Snape got up at this point, but before he could do anything, Malfoy was doing these great flying leaps and twirls all over the place. You should have seen his face! Don't worry, I've enclosed pictures. The whole hall, even his own house, was in hysterics! 'Mione refused to participate with the spell (said she didn't want a detention in the first week) but she was laughing just as hard as the rest of us, particularly when he did this huge leap and landed in the splits! I think I have a picture of that, there, too. As much as she tries to deny it, Hermione is the daughter of a marauder, through and through. _

_As for our other exploits, I made the Quidditch team! It all happened just after the ballet incident, during our first flying lesson. Malfoy, recovered from his morning and seemingly out for revenge, was picking on a boy in our dorm, Neville Longbottom. Neville's a nice enough guy, but really clumsy and kind of forgetful. Anyway, his Gran had sent him a Remembrall with the post that morning, and when Neville was taken to the Hospital Wing (don't ask, I'm still not sure what exactly happened) Malfoy stole the ball off the ground where Neville had dropped it. He jumped on his broom and flew off with it, threatening to leave it in a tree. So I got on my broom (school brooms are terrible by the way) and ended up having to go into this huge dive to catch it when Malfoy threw it. I'd just landed when Professor McGonagall (you know her, right?) came charging up to me from the castle and demanded that I follow her. _

_I thought I was going to be expelled for sure, because we weren't actually supposed to be on the brooms after Madame Hooch (the flying instructor) took Neville away. So here I was, sure I was about to be hauled in front of Dumbledore, when she takes me to see this fifth year called Oliver Wood. Wood's the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and apparently they've been looking for a seeker ever since Charlie left. McGonagall saw me dive, and decided that I would do, so now I'm Gryffindor's newest seeker! I know first years aren't supposed to play on the team, but McGonagall said they'd bend the rule this once. And Mum and Dad are going to send over the Nimbus 2000 they gave me for my birthday._

_So all in all, it's been a pretty eventful day, due mostly to Malfoy. I suppose I can't be too hard on the prat though, since it's thanks to him I'm on the team in the first place._

_I'll write again soon, though I think it takes a couple days for the owls to deliver the letters; we only got yours yesterday. Romania sounds like a great idea for Christmas, so I'll see you then,_

_Harry (and Ron and 'Mione)_

Dear Tom,

I've told you about Harry, right? Destroyer of Dark Lords and twin of the great Hermione? Well I've just gotten a letter from him, and he's made the Quidditch team; youngest seeker in a century! And the prank on Malfoy went right to plan; there were even some photos with his letter. Hearing about all the fun times they're having makes me wish I was there with them, though.

Well I have to go now, or Mum will want to know what I'm doing spending so much time in my room.

Love,

Ginny

_Dear Harry (and Ron and 'Mione),_

_What can I say? Congratulations on being the youngest seeker in a century (your dad's really proud and has been telling everyone!) but just because Malfoy's the reason you made it onto the team, doesn't mean you have to send him a thank you card or anything (unless it's filled with itching powder or something. Now there's an idea). The pictures were hilarious and I, with great care not to let either of our mums see, showed them to Dad, and the Marauders. Sirius wants to know if he could borrow the spell for a colleague of his, though I think your dad squashed that idea by saying that, as head of the department, he'd be forced to take action against Sirius even if, and I quote, "the leotard would go nicely with that prat Smith's swelled head". _

_Speaking of Sirius, you'll never guess what I've just found out! I'm trying to decide whether I should keep you in suspense till my next letter or just tell you straight out. For one thing, I know none of you can stand waiting and it'll make you write back faster, but on the other hand, this news is so big, I just have to tell you._

_Okay..._

_Sirius has a girlfriend! _

_Now I know you're probably rolling your eyes and saying something like 'Sirius has a new girlfriend every few days, big deal'. But that's the thing. He's been dating _this _girl for _two months_; completely in secret. And you know that for Sirius, two months may as well be two years. Now do you see what the big deal is? Thought you might._

_Now you may think I've caved and saved you all the suspense, but that's where you're wrong. See, I have yet to tell you _who_ the mystery girl is._

_And I think I hear Mum calling now, so I'd better go. Guess you'll just have to wait for my next letter!_

_Lots of Love, _

_Ginny_

**Ginny, it must be terrible being all alone while your friends are off at Hogwarts without you. Why don't you tell me more about your friends? What was it you said Harry was famous for?**

**Your friend, Tom**

_Gin,_

_Sirius has had a secret girlfriend for two months? Who is she? Come on, you know we hate secrets. What happened to that pact we made when we were five, about never having secrets between us? And I have a message to pass on from Hermione: as much of a prat as Malfoy may be, we can't go putting things like itching powder on his clothes without provocation. She'd write to you herself, but we have a nasty Herbology essay due next week, and Hermione likes to get on top of these things. Nutters she is. Personally, I'm all for coating the evil git's underwear in everlasting itching powder, and I think Harry would be too. Maybe this can just be one of those things we do when Hermione is safely ensconced in the library. Mind you, we'd have to actually find a way to get the itching powder there in the first place, and that's definitely not something I want to do._

_Anyway, talk to you soon,_

_Ron (and Hermione and Harry)_

Tom, I can't wait to go to Hogwarts next year, they all seem to be having so much fun. I'm even jealous of their homework, which is just ridiculous!

Love,

Ginny

_Dear Ron (and Hermione and Harry),_

_Firstly, considering there are supposedly no secrets, just what goes on when Hermione is 'safely ensconced in the library' as you put it? And secondly, _you_ came up with that pact because you and Harry were jealous about Hermione and I whispering to each other at the dinner table; we never agreed to it. (Probably because we were talking about what to get you for Christmas at the time!) _

_As for the secret: Hermione, you wouldn't happen to remember your mother's best friend from her Hogwarts days, would you? The one who also happens to be yours and Harry's godmother, and lived in Australia for the last ten years? Yes, Katie Allison is back, and has apparently been dating Sirius ever since she returned. Now, no need to worry, I've already told Sirius that if he stuffs this one up, he's going to have not one, but five, very angry witches after him. After all, Katie herself would be bad enough, but both of our mums, plus you and I, would surely be able to come up with a suitable punishment for breaking her heart, won't we 'Mione? So let's hope he looks after her. _

_And yes, I have seen Katie since she came back; she came over for dinner last week and sends her love to all you guys. As do Sirius and Remus, now that I mention it. Although their's was more like 'make sure to get in at least one more good prank before the holidays'- they suggest Halloween next week - and Remus wanted to add that he's proud of his god-daughter for achieving the highest transfiguration mark from a first year in fifty years – so well done Hermione. _

_Only two more months before holidays, and then we'll all be off to Romania together._

_Lots of Love,_

_Ginny_

**You will promise to take me with you when you go to Hogwarts next year, won't you Ginny? After all, I know you'd hate for me to feel as left out as you do now.**

**Your friend, **

**Tom**

_Dear Ginny,_

_I can't believe Katie's back! And she's dating Sirius! I haven't seen her since she visited last summer. Is she coming with us to Romania for Christmas? I hope so; I can't wait to see her again._

_And Gin, I know it was you who sent Ron and Harry that itching powder for Malfoy, so don't even try to deny it! Still, it was pretty funny. I'm amazed that those two haven't been caught yet, but I suppose they have the cloak and map to help them out. _

_So, you've told us a lot about the goings on in the family, but how are _you_? I hope you're not too lonely on your own, but just think, we're already more than one fifth of the way through the school year, and only half of November and December left before we see you for Christmas. _

_The homework is really starting to pile up, but I think I'm managing fairly well. I honestly don't know how either Ron or Harry are passing half their classes, as they seem to spend most of their time either eating, pulling pranks, or playing chess! I don't even know why Harry bothers playing anymore, as Ron wins every game. _

_Well, I have to get back to my potions essay now, but I can't wait to hear from you again! Write soon,_

_Lots of Love, _

_Hermione (and Harry and Ron)_

**Dear Ginny,**

**Do you know anything about the old legends of Hogwarts? They are **_**fascinating**_** subjects, and I believe you would enjoy them immensely. Try researching things like the formation of Hogwarts, the Sorting Hat, and the Chamber of Secrets. Maybe it would even help you feel closer to your friends.**

**Your friend,**

**Tom**

_Dear 'Mione (and Harry and Ron),_

_Yes, Katie is coming to Romania with us, so you'll all see her again then. As for me, I'm doing well. Bill was home on business last weekend, so I caught up with him, but he couldn't stay for long. He did tell me about this curse he found that causes bats to grow out of someone's nostrils and attack them. Maybe I'll try it on the twins next time they prank me. _

_Hermione, I was wondering if you knew anything about the Chamber of Secrets? I've been researching some old Hogwarts legends, just for something to do, but I can't find much on it. I just thought it sounded interesting._

_Have to go now, we're about to start dinner._

_Lots of Love,_

_Ginny_

_Dear Gin,_

_Hermione says to tell you that the Chamber of Secrets is just a legend, and if Dumbledore hasn't found it by now, it probably never existed in the first place. If you really want to know though, she'll see what she can find out. What's with the sudden interest in history? Though I suppose you'd better learn as much as you can now, 'cause with Binns as the History of Magic Professor, you won't learn a thing. I swear, the other day, Neville, (we've told you about him right? Neville Longbottom?) had fallen asleep during history of magic (which is not an uncommon occurrence for anyone accept Hermione) when his toad, Trevor, who was sitting in his pocket, jumped out right onto his head. Neville got such a fright, he fell right out of his chair, and Binns never even looked up from his notes._

_I can try asking Binns what he knows about the Chamber if you want, but I doubt I'd have much luck. Hermione's definitely your best bet._

_School is school, at least as far as the work goes. They seem to be trying to cram everything in before we break for holidays next week. Speaking of holidays, Ron says to remind your mum that he hates maroon, and would much prefer if his Weasley jumper was blue or something this year. I tried telling him that she probably started all of the jumpers months ago, but he says he lives in hope. _

_Well I guess that's all I have to report for now, but we'll be seeing you on Sunday. You can tell me all about what you've been doing ('cause you've been pretty vague about that) over Christmas pudding and treacle tart. The house elves here may be good, but they have nothing on either of our mums' desserts. _

_Harry (and Ron and 'Mione)_


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: **Hey everyone, I'd like to apologise for the formatting in the last chapter. For some reason, none of the spaces I left between the letters, or the symbols I put there, came up when I posted. So, I understand that it was probably pretty hard to read and I'm sorry. I have taken measures to prevent it from happening again (that sounds so ridiculous, but anyway...) so fingers crossed. Enjoy the chapter, and as always, thanks to all who reviewed!

**Chapter Six**

Kings Cross Station was crowded with people as Ginny waited with her parents and the Potters for the Hogwarts Express to arrive. The past four months had been long and lonely for Ginny, though Tom, at least, made it bearable. Even so, Ginny was impatient to see her friends again; she couldn't remember a time when she'd ever gone so long without seeing them, though she was used to her older brothers being at Hogwarts for just as long. With Ron, Harry and Hermione to keep her company though, the time without her older brothers seemed to fly by each year. With them gone as well, every day had seemed to drag on, and it felt like years since she'd last seen them. Ginny was just about bouncing with excitement when the scarlet steam engine did finally pull into the station, expelling a mass of students in black robes.

And there they were, looking not much different then they'd been on September 1st, although Ron seemed to have grown an inch or two. Spotting the family, the three began heading towards them, and were soon joined by Percy, Fred and George. The twins had sent a few letters to Ginny during the term, all of them detailing various exploits and pranks, but Percy generally just addressed a few lines to her in the weekly letter he sent their parents. Ginny found herself almost as happy to see them as she was to see Ron and her two best friends.

Grinning, with delight, she threw her arms around all three of them as soon as they appeared in front of her.

"Ginny!" Hermione squealed, pulling her into a tight hug. "I've missed you so much. I can't wait to tell you all about the castle, and the lessons, and the teachers, and my dorm mates, and all of it!"

Ginny laughed at her friend, glad to see that Hermione hadn't changed.

"Slow down, 'Mione, we'll have loads of time to talk," She said. "We're all coming to your place for dinner tonight."

The three Hogwarts students looked surprised at this, as they generally had dinner at The Burrow the night everyone returned, but Ginny supposed that as the Potter twins were now attending Hogwarts as well, it was only natural.

Shrugging off his confusion, Ron turned to Harry.

"In that case, we'll bring the brooms and fly around a bit, yeah?"

Harry grinned, but before he had a chance to answer, Molly was hustling them all through to the platform's fireplace, and they were being pushed through one by one. He only had the chance to throw a quick smile over his shoulder to Ginny before he was pushed into the green flames as Lily shouted "_Potter Place_".

*~*

Harry relaxed back into the couch after dinner, idly watching as Ron versed Hermione in a game of chess. They were rather evenly matched, although it had taken many years of practice and quite a few strategy books on the subject before Hermione presented any challenge to Ron. Thinking back to his sister's efforts then, he smirked. Hermione had never had the same natural talent for the game as Ron, and it had irked her to no end. Determined not to lose to someone who "doesn't even have the sense God gave a Hippogriff" as she had rather scathingly put it after a particularly devastating loss, Hermione had studied long and hard to master the finer points of the game. It seemed her perseverance had payed off, though Ron was still marginally the better of the two. However much she studied, Hermione just couldn't conceive some of the more creative ploys Ron used.

A small giggle turned Harry's attention to Ginny, who was sitting on the floor next to Ron and Hermione, scribbling in a little black book. Harry had been happy to see Ginny again, and the four of them had spent a good few hours catching up on everything that had happened since they had last seen each other. Ginny had had a few funny stories to tell of her time at The Burrow, and while she was obviously happy to have her brothers and friends back, Harry couldn't help noticing that she was rather a lot paler than the last time he'd seen her. He had originally shrugged it off as due to them spending so much time apart, or even the fact that it was winter, but watching her now, Harry noticed the slight shadows under her eyes as well.

As he watched, Ginny wrote something down in one of the bright quills he recognised as part of her birthday present. She waited a moment before letting out another small giggle, and jotting something down again. Deciding he wanted to know what was keeping her so amused, Harry lightly tossed the cream couch cushion at her, causing her to glance up and raise an eyebrow at him.

"What's that?" Harry asked.

"It's nothing, just an old diary Ron gave me." He was amused to note that she blushed slightly as she answered, and he almost laughed. The idea of feisty Ginny Weasley doing anything as girly as keeping a _diary_ was rather funny. Her blush deepened at his grin, and he knew she knew what he was thinking, and was slightly embarrassed at herself for the same reason.

"So, is this the reason we've been getting less letters from you recently?" he asked "You're saving all your good stories for your diary, instead."

He was laughing, but he stopped when Ginny, instead of sharing the joke as she usually would have, looked rather uneasy.

Somewhat concerned, he sat up straighter and stared intently at her as he asked, "Are you alright, Gin?"

With a giggle that sounded a tad too forced for Harry's liking, she waved him off.

"Of course I am Harry. I'm fine." When he still didn't looked convinced, Ginny looked away slightly and said "I'm probably just tired, is all," and Harry decided to let the subject drop.

"So, are you going to come to any of our Quidditch matches this year?" He asked instead, and was glad to see her eyes brighten.

"Mum said she's too busy to take me just yet, but I can come watch the last few games at the end of the year," she said.

Quidditchhad always been one of Ginny's favourite things to do and he knew she was planning to try out for a reserve chaser position as soon as she was able.

"We have a fairly good chance of winning the cup too, so you have to come for that. I know it won't be quite the same as when we watched Fred and George last year, but it'll still be fun. You might even be able to sit with those two," he said, with a jerk of his head in Ron and Hermione's direction.

"Mmm" Ginny agreed "Maybe I'll even get to meet some of your friends. 'Mione's dying for me to meet Parvati and Lavender, but I'm not sure if it's because she thinks I'll like them, or because she wants someone to commiserate with her."

Harry laughed. "Knowing those two, it'll be the second one. They're alright, I guess, but they're very...giggly." He shuddered slightly as he said this, and Ginny giggled, herself, at his actions.

"I'm not sure if I should be offended, Harry, after all I tend to do my fair share of 'giggling' too." Ginny tried to look stern but the smile tugging at the corner of her mouth rather ruined the effect.

"Yes, but you don't giggle at _me_," he grimaced, and Ginny's smile grew wider.

"Is poor little Harry having trouble fighting off the hoards of girls?" she asked with a grin.

"Shove off," he groaned "It's just taking people a while to get used to the whole 'Boy-Who-Lived' thing. You know what they're like."

Ginny's smile turned sympathetic as she absently patted his knee.

"Don't worry Harry, they'll get over it once they realise you're just a normal kid. Besides," she smirked at him, "You'll always be 'The-Boy-Who-Fell-Out-Of-The-Tree-House' to me."

*~*

Harry was in the middle of a pleasant dream about flying for Puddlemere United, when he was rudely awakened by something heavy landing on his chest. His eyes flew open to see two blurs, one surrounded by a halo of red, and the other, brown. He fumbled on his nightstand for his glasses with one hand, as he covered his eyes with the other. It was far too early for this.

"What do you two want?" He groaned, slamming the glasses on his head as they bounced excitedly on his bed.

"Presents!" Ginny grinned, at the same time as Hermione cried "Christmas!"

Harry looked across the room he was sharing with Ron to see his other best mate with the covers pulled to the end of his bed and his arm over his eyes.

"Come on, lazy-bones, out of bed now so we can all go down and open our presents." Ginny was bouncing excitedly on his bed as Hermione grabbed his arm and pulled.

"Alright, alright, I'm up!" he said, even as he felt a reluctant grin work its way onto his face. After all, it _was_ Christmas.

"Just be glad it was us who woke you, and not the twins," Ginny said as she jumped off his bed. "They were all set to throw water on us and all sorts of things, but 'Mione and I managed to barricade their door after they went to sleep."

"In fact, we should probably let them out if we want to open our presents anytime soon." Hermione said as she moved towards the door.

Ron was still grumbling as he followed her out of the room, but Harry knew it was just for show. Christmas was the one day of the year Ron didn't mind waking up early. When the four of them reached the bedroom that the twins were sharing, Harry was amused to find that the girls hadn't been joking when they said they had 'barricaded' the door. Piled in front of the bedroom door were no less than the two heavy, solid wood hall tables, the bookshelf – complete with heavy tomes – from the study opposite, and two big arm chairs.

"How did you guys manage to move all this yourselves?" Harry asked, looking at his sister and best friend with a new respect. Ron seemed to have lost the power of speech.

"It wasn't too hard; we just did it bit by bit. We had to make it heavy so they couldn't open the door, but also hard to get past in case they took it off its hinges." Hermione replied, grinning proudly along with Ginny.

"The weight was the easy part; we just pushed the heavier things onto this rug and slid them across. The hard part was doing it silently, so that they wouldn't wake up and investigate." As she spoke, Ginny moved into position at one end of a hall table, which was in last, and began sliding it back to its original position. Still rather shocked, Harry and Ron moved to help her while Hermione grabbed an armchair.

Even with all four of them helping, it still took a good twenty-five minutes to move everything back into place. The hotel they were staying at for the duration of their time in Romania was high class and all of the furniture were not only valuable antiques, but also heavy. It didn't help that Hermione insisted on putting every book back exactly as they had found them, after removing them to move the case.

When they were finally done, Ron asked "How long did it take you two to do that on your own?"

Hermione looked thoughtful. "A good hour and a half, I think, but mostly because we were trying to be quiet."

"You could have asked us to help, you know," Harry reminded them.

"We told you, Harry, we wanted to be _quiet._ We decided it was best to just do it on our own. Besides, it was kind of fun, in a weird way." So saying, Ginny walked over and swung open the door to Fred and George's bedroom.

The twins were in the middle of a game of exploding snap, but as soon as they realised they were free, they jumped to their feet, ignoring the cards smouldering on the bed.

"About bloody time!" Fred complained "We've been in here for ages."

Ginny and Hermione grinned to each other before turning to face the irate twins. "That's what you get for planning a prank for us on Christmas!" they said together, before linking arms and walking out of the room and down the stairs. The four boys stared after them for a moment, perplexed.

"How did they did they do that so... synchronised?" Ron asked. The others just shrugged their shoulders, and together, they followed them down to join the festivities.

*~*

The Potters, Weasleys, Sirius and Remus had spent Christmas together every year for 14 years, ever since Lily, James, Sirius, and Remus had joined the Order and Molly Weasley had invited the four then young people over for Christmas dinner. James and Lily had both recently lost their parents to Death Eater attacks, and when Molly had learnt that they had been planning on spending Christmas alone, she had insisted that they join her family. After all, she reasoned, she had grown up thinking of James as a younger brother or cousin, so it was only natural that they all spend the holidays together. And so the tradition had continued. Often times, they were joined by Lily's best friend, Katie Allison when she visited, and all seven Weasley children, as well as the Potter twins, thought of her as an aunt.

Katie had dark hair that fell to her shoulders, with sparkling blue eyes. She was tall, standing at 5'8, and a chaser for the Melbourne Kestrels Quidditch team in Australia. She was also godmother to both Harry and Hermione, something Sirius was known to complain about, as Remus was Hermione's godfather and Sirius, Harry's. He felt it unfair that they should have to share god-fatherly duties when she didn't. Lily's response to this was always that she could have chosen her sister, Petunia, for one of the twins, but wouldn't wish that on anyone.

With everyone present for Christmas that year, as well as the news of the relationship between Sirius and Katie and the subsequent teasing, Christmas morning was a very loud and boisterous affair, as Holidays often were with the Weasleys and Potters. Ginny found herself engrossed in a conversation about Quidditch with both Katie and Sirius, arguing the finer points of the game.

"But deliberately aiming a bludger at the keeper can't be a foul!" Sirius was saying. "After all, that's what Beaters are _for!_"

"Yes, but the International QuidditchBoard has decreed that any deliberate hits aimed above the shoulders warrant suspensions," Katie argued "It's all well and good to break ribs, but even Healer's can't always treat hits to the head."

Ginny nodded her head fervently. "I agree that injuries are as much a part of Quidditch as anything, but that doesn't mean players should have to fear for their lives at every game."

Katie beamed at her for her support, and Ginny couldn't help grinning in return. Katie, as an international Quidditchplayer and one of the coolest people Ginny knew, had always been a bit of a hero to her. It was Katie who had first encouraged Ginny in her goal to be a chaser, and she always gave her tips when they played.

Before Sirius could retort, her mother was calling them all to the large table that had been set up in the hotel's dining room for breakfast. The table was loaded with bacon, eggs, pancakes, and to Ginny's delight, jugs of hot chocolate were placed along the centre. She loved coming to visit Charlie, but Romania was _cold_. Sitting in between Hermione and Bill, Ginny quickly filled her plate, hungrier than she had been in a long time.

Molly noticed her full plate and smiled to herself. Ginny hadn't been looking at all well recently, and hadn't been eating much. Watching her laugh at something Hermione said, Molly decided that this holiday would definitely be good for her.

*~*

Harry looked up at the knock on his bedroom door. He had just been reading the book Ron had given him for Christmas that morning, _Quidditch Through the Ages_, taking advantage of the rare moment of peace while Ron and Ginny played chess downstairs.

"Come in," he called, and Hermione poked her head around the door.

"Do you have a moment, Harry?" she asked.

Harry nodded and made room for her on the bed next to him. "What's up?"

Hermione sighed and leaned her head against the wall. Fidgeting slightly, she closed her eyes before answering.

"I'm worried about Ginny," she said.

Harry frowned and closed his book, turning his full attention to Hermione. "What about Ginny?" he asked, although he thought he might know the answer.

Hermione opened her eyes and turned to him, sitting up straighter. "Haven't you noticed how tired she looks?" At Harry's reluctant nod, she continued. "I overheard Molly talking to Mum and Katie; and Harry, I'm really getting worried! Molly says she hasn't been acting herself. She's barely eating, hardly comes out of her room, and _twice_Molly and Arthur have caught her trying to sneak out of the house, claiming she needed to go to Diagon Alley!"

Harry looked up at this, alarmed. That wasn't like Ginny. Sure, she liked to sneak off for a fly on her brothers' brooms, but she would never attempt to leave the property just for some shopping.

"Did she say why she was going?" he asked.

Hermione shook her head. "No, and that's the weird thing. She was acting so weird, that Molly decided she must have been sleep walking, and next morning she had no memory of it."

Hermione looked close to tears, so Harry wrapped an arm around his sister. "What did Mum and Katie say?"

"They reckon she's just missing having all of us around. They want Molly and Arthur to try and bring her up for the Quidditch matches and things, so she won't feel so alone." Hermione answered.

"I don't think there's much we can do, 'Mione," Harry whispered, frowning. He hated feeling helpless. Ginny was one of his best friends, but he didn't know how to help her. They would be all returning to Hogwarts next week, and Ginny would be left at The Burrow, alone once more. "We'll just have to keep writing her loads of letters. Hopefully, she'll start to feel better soon."

Hermione nodded. "And we'll just have to make sure to have lots of fun whilst we're still here," she said.

Not overly comforted by this thought, Harry nonetheless decided he would make sure the next week was one of the best of Ginny's life.


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N: **Right, well. We're really getting into the story now. I know things seem to happen rather fast, but bear in mind that we don't know how much time has elapsed between letters. I'd really like to know what you think of this chapter, and how I've orchestrated everything. OK, I just realised that the tool I used on Word to cross out a section of text isn't working, but it's kind of important, so I'll explain it now. When you see a whole lot of "=" signs in the last letter, it means those words have been crossed out, but are still just legible. Sorry, it never occured to me that the tool wouldn't work, so I had to make do. Anyway, a big thanks for the reviews! They really make my day! Enjoy!

**Chapter Seven**

_Dear Gin, _

_How's it going? I know we only left three days ago, but I thought you still might like to hear from us. Unless, of course, you were glad to get back to your peace and quiet without us to annoy you! Well, if that is the case, then I guess I can't tell you about the new duelling club that prat, Lockhart, has started up. Mind you, I don't think it will be going for much longer after what happened last night. It was a total disaster! First of all, the guy can't teach to save his life, and _Snape_ of all people was helping him out. I tell you, if Snape had been looking at me the way he was Lockhart, I would have been running in the opposite direction as fast as my legs could carry me. Anyway, Lockhart decided to show us the _Expeliarmus_ charm (which disarms your opponent) and Snape, of course, chose Malfoy and me to demonstrate. Lockhart tried to show me how to do the spell, but the git dropped his wand halfway through and then just left me on my own. Snape whispered something in Malfoy's ear, and next thing I know, I'm facing a dirty great snake. By the way, did I mention that I'm a parselmouth? 'Cause apparently I am. I hadn't even realised I was doing it, but Ron and 'Mione said I was hissing at the snake, when all I said was for it to back off. Weird, eh? So now the whole school thinks I'm some sort of dark wizard, which is absolutely _smashing_. Seriously, Gin, sometimes I think I would have been better off staying home with you. _

_But enough about that. How are you going? You know you can write to us about anything that's bothering you, right?_

_Well, I better go, but I hope you can come to our Quidditch match next week. I can't wait to see you there!_

_Harry (and Ron and Hermione)_

_**~**_

_Dear Harry (and Ron and Hermione),_

_First off, Potter (and I mean the male one), you're beginning to sound like my mother. Look, I know you guys are there for me, but I'm fine, honest. And what's this about being a parselmouth? Geesh, Harry, you sure know how to make a name for yourself. For all of your sakes, I hope Lockhart doesn't continue this duelling club, as it seems to be more drama than it's worth. Why would you want to spend extra time with Snape _voluntarily_? Although if the last one's anything to go by, it does make for interesting letter material. Harry, don't worry about what the school thinks, they'll come around eventually, and I'm guessing it'll be about the same time as when you win the match for Gryffindor!_

_Right, I've got to go now, but I'll see all of you guys at the match!_

_Love,_

_Ginny_

**~**

Dear Tom,

I'm finally going to Hogwarts! Obviously, not for good, but I am going to see Harry's Quidditch match. Oh, I can't wait! Only one more day!

Love Ginny

**~**

**Dear Ginny,**

**You are going to take me with you, aren't you Ginny? After all, I'd hate to be left here, all on my own. Who knows what could happen?**

**Your friend, **

**Tom**

****~****

_Dear Ginny,_

_I still can't believe everything that happened yesterday! I just can't believe that Justin and Nearly Headless Nick were petrified! What could have done that? I thought Hogwarts was supposed to be the safest place in Britain! And that message! At first I thought it was written in blood, but even when I realised it was only a spell, I was still terrified. What are Dad and everyone saying about it over there? It was lucky everything happened when they just so happened to be there, because at least they should have some idea of what's going on._

_It was so good to see you, though! I know it's only been a few weeks since Christmas, but I felt like I hadn't seen you in ages! Are you sure you're alright though, Gin? You looked very pale. Are you coming down with something? _

_Oh, I almost forgot! After you left us in the common room to go save some seats at the game, Harry, Ron and I were walking down to the pitch when Harry started hearing this voice. Neither Ron, nor I could hear it, but Harry was sure that it was real. It kept saying "_Kill, Kill, I want blood_" or something like that. Harry's convinced it's linked to this whole _Chamber of Secrets_ thing. We didn't get a chance to tell you, because it was just after that that we heard the screams when everyone found Justin and Nick, outside that bathroom. And you know how crazy things got then. Harry's in a right state, because after the Parseltongue thing, everyone's convinced that he's the "_Heir of Slytherin_" that the message spoke of. Even though I've told him that it's impossible, since everyone in our family has been in Gryffindor as far back as we can remember. Even so, he refuses to tell Dumbledore about the voice, and he wants you to promise not to say anything to our parents or anyone back home. I'm still not sure I agree with that, as it could be important, but for now, I guess I'll just have to respect his wishes. _

_Anyway, I'm sorry this letter has been so depressing, but I just had to get all of that stuff off my chest. Right back soon, and hopefully we'll all be in a better mood by then._

_Love,_

_Hermione_

_**~**_

Dear Tom,

I'm really getting scared, Tom. I can't remember hardly anything about what happened at Hogwarts except meeting up with Harry, Hermione and Ron, and them giving me a tour of the Common Room. After that, it's all blank. What's happening? I'm thinking about telling Mum and Dad, because I really don't know what's going on.

Please help,

Love Ginny

**~**

**Dear Ginny,**

**There's no need to go to your parents. You're just experiencing a perfectly natural reaction to a traumatising event. It's just the shock, so there's no need to worry your parents when they've already got so much else on their minds. After all, you wouldn't want to be a nuisance, would you Ginny? Don't worry, I'd tell you if I thought there was anything wrong. Just calm down and forget about everything that happened. You're safe here, Ginny. Nothing can hurt you while I'm around.**

**Your friend,**

**Tom**

**~**

_Dear Harry,_

_Hermione told me all about the voice you heard, and I promise not to tell anyone about it, if you promise to return the favour about what I'm about to tell you. Harry, something really weird is going on. I can't remember... things. I don't know; it's hard to explain. I've just been waking up feeling really weird, like there's something that's happened that I need to remember, but no matter how hard I try, it won't come. And the scary thing is, I think it has something to do with what happened at Hogwarts. I just, I feel... guilty, and I have no idea why. Please, don't tell Ron or Hermione about this. As much as I love him, Ron would get all over-protective and run straight to Mum and Dad, and I don't want to worry them, or Hermione, because you know she'd get all anxious. It's probably nothing, anyway. The shock, or something. But, I just don't feel _right_. Not sick, exactly, but... anyway, never mind about that. I found out something you might find interesting, though I'm not sure I believe it. Oh, and you can tell Ron and Hermione this part as well. _

_I overheard everyone talking last night, and apparently the Ministry's main suspect for the Chamber of Secrets thing is Hagrid. I know, Hagrid would never hurt a fly, but you know how he was expelled in his third year and no one would tell us why? According to your dad, the Chamber of Secrets was opened once before, fifty years ago, and a girl died. Her name was Myrtle, or something. The chamber is supposed to be home to a monster, and Hagrid was looking after a monster in the castle. So everyone blamed him, and Dumbledore was forced to expel him. I'm not sure what I think, really. I mean, I_ could _see Hagrid sneaking a monster into the castle, but that doesn't mean it was the same monster that lives in the Chamber. And if it's opened again, it can't be Hagrid, because he would never do something like this. But Harry, the Ministry's going to arrest him anyway. Your mum said Hagrid had to be innocent, but Sirius reckons that Lucius Malfoy is leaning on the board to make them make a decision, so it at least_ looks_ like they're doing something. And Hagrid is their best target. _

_I wish I could be with you guys, even if there is a dangerous monster running around. At least then I'd know you were all safe. I want to be there so badly! And Harry, don't worry about anyone calling you the heir, there's no way possible you could do anything like that, and not just because your entire family has been in Gryffindor for centuries. _

_Keep me updated on everything that happens over there, and I'll let you know what I overhear. _

_Love,_

_Ginny_

_**~**_

_Dear Gin,_

_Alright I've got a bit of news to tell you, but first off, are you sure you're alright? Are you still feeling...not right? If so, I really think you should let your parents know. I know they've got a lot on their plate and you don't want to worry them, and you're probably going to call me a hypocrite, but if you are really worried, they'll always listen to you. If you don't want to go to them, I'd suggest Bill or Charlie. They're old enough to know what to do, but won't freak out or anything. _

_Anyway, back to the news. First off, we've had a suspicion ever since this started that Malfoy's behind it, so Hermione decided to (deep breath here, because you're never going to believe our upstanding, law-abiding Hermione would ever do something so ridiculously illegal) brew pollyjuice potion to change us into Malfoy's lackeys, Crabbe and Goyle. I know, unbelievable, right? But the potion took forever to make, and we only finished it a couple of days ago, right before your letter arrived. So the night before I got your letter, Ron and I were sneaking into the Slytherin Common Room, disguised as two overweight, mentally impaired blobs. Nice picture, eh? 'Mione would have come too, but she made a small mistake with her potion, and accidentally ended up turned into a kind of cat/human hybrid. Needless to say, she was not happy. Ron took a picture and I'm sure he'll show it to you next time we see you (assuming 'Mione hasn't burned it first). Anyway, long story short, Malfoy's not the heir, and has no idea who is. After we got your letter though, we decided we had to go and talk to Hagrid. We took the invisibility cloak, which was lucky, 'cause the Ministry turned up to take him while we were there, and we had to hide. But he did manage to tell us that he wasn't the culprit, and the monster he was keeping (which was an Acromantula if you can believe it; Ron nearly had a fit) is named Aragog, lives in the forest, and supposedly holds the answers to all our questions._ Great! _And now Dumbledore's gone, too. But you've probably heard about that already._

_So Ron and I (Hermione was still in the Hospital Wing being de-catified) went into the forest to find him. Not the best idea. We only just escaped, because Aragog apparently found us very appetising. Hagrid is mad, I tell you. But now we know that Hagrid is definitely innocent, and the monster is something spiders, even giant ones like Aragog, are terrified to speak of. Just fantastic, really. _

_Anyway, the Quidditch re-match is next week, and I wrote to Dad and he's promised to bring you along. So we'll see you then. _

_Harry_

_**~**_

Dear Tom,

I'm going back to Hogwarts! They've re-scheduled the Quidditch match that was cancelled, and the Potter's are going to take me. I really can't wait! The game is tomorrow, and I really just want to see my friends again. It's so lonely being here on my own. Particularly since I'm still having these really weird dreams. How did you manage to do that before, anyway? When you drew me into that memory? But you're right, it was fun to see what you look like. It's weird, though. Now that I know what you look like, I could have sworn you were in some of those dreams. I guess my mind is just playing tricks on me again. Anyway, I can hear mum calling me for dinner, so I'll talk to you latter.

Love,

Ginny

**~**

**Dear Ginny,**

**I think the reason I've been able to show you my memories is because I feel so close to you. It's almost like you're giving me strength. You are taking me with you to Hogwarts, right? Even though I can't see it, just being there makes me feel so much closer to my memories, and to you.**

**Your friend, **

**Tom**

****~****

Oh, Tom! I feel terrible! Hermione's been petrified. There must be some link to the attacks and Quidditch, because they only seem to happen when the games are on. Or maybe just Gryffindor Quidditch, because the other games have been alright. Do you think the Heir just wants to stop them from playing? No, that just seems too petty.

I hate seeing Hermione lying in the hospital wing. And I thought the monster was only supposed to go after muggleborns? Hermione is a pureblood, but she was with a muggleborn prefect, Penelope Clearwater, when they were both petrified. It was the weirdest thing. We were all sitting in the Great Hall before the game, talking about the attacks, when Hermione just jumps out of her seat yelling "_That's it!_" and running off. And then she was found just outside the library, with a mirror of all things. Hermione's the least vain person I know, so I have no idea why she'd have a mirror.

I hate seeing everyone so depressed. She's going to be alright once Madam Pomfrey does something to the mandrakes, but I've never seen Harry or Ron so... despondent. And Lily was a mess. Mum and Katie were doing their best to comfort her, but they're both so upset as well, that it's not really working. And James, Sirius and Remus were all just sitting there with their heads in their hands. It's bad enough seeing 'Mione so lifeless, but I hate watching everyone else suffer as well.

And Tom, I still can't remember anything between Hermione leaving and then going to the Hospital Wing. Harry says I excused myself to go the bathroom just after she went, but I have absolutely no memory of it. I guess it could just be shock, but I'm really starting to get scared. I think I might even have something to do with the attacks. I haven't told anyone yet, not even Bill and Charlie, because it just sounds so stupid when I write it in a letter. And Mum and Dad are the only ones here, and they're totally numb at the moment. They both think of Hermione as a daughter. What do you think?

**~**

**Dear Ginny,**

**Maybe you _are_ behind the attacks. After all, you were there when they both happened, and you have no idea what you were doing at the time. I think you need to organise to go back to Hogwarts, Ginny. Dumbledore is the only one who can help you now. You're killing your friends, Ginevra. Who could do such a thing? You're even repressing the memories just so you won't feel guilty. Or maybe it's part of a plan to gain their trust before you kill everyone at Hogwarts? **

**You can't hide from yourself, Ginevra, and your inner self is obviously a blood thirsty monster. No one can save you. Go to Hogwarts, Ginevra. Dumbledore is the only chance you have. Unless you want all of your little friends to die. And you can't tell anyone. They'll lock you up, and you'll never have the chance to change. Not that you can change. I saw what you did. I've been in your pocket the whole time, but there was nothing I could do to stop you. You are a terrible, terrible, person, Ginevra. You did it all. If you don't believe me, I'll show you!**

****~****

No! I didn't mean to do it. I _can't_ have done it, Tom, no matter what your memories show. I don't want to kill Muggleborns, and I'd never hurt Hermione. She's like my sister! You've got it wrong. I have to tell someone. And if it was true, why didn't you tell me last time? Why are you telling me now? You're lying. I'm-I'm going to tell my parents. I have to tell them everything.

**~**

**Now, now, Ginevra. I can't have you running off and ruining my plans. I just thought you should know exactly what you have done to the world. Because I'm strong now, Ginevra. And you won't tell anyone if I don't want you to. **

****~****

_Dear Gin,_

_Mum said you wanted to come to Hogwarts tomorrow, but I thought I'd send this anyway, in case you change your mind. Harry and I were just visiting Hermione when we found a note in her hand. And Gin, we've discovered what the monster is, and how it's getting around the school. Or rather, Hermione did. That girl is a bloody genius, I swear! The note was a page from a text book talking about basilisks, and she'd written the word "pipes" down the bottom. It all fits! The monster is a basilisk. That's why people were petrified, and the spiders were scared, and even why Harry was the only one who can hear it's voice! It's a snake, so it was speaking parseltongue. And it's been going through the pipes. That's why no one's seen a dirty great snake running around the school. Harry reckons Hermione must have warned that Clearwater girl to check around corners with a mirror first, so they didn't catch it's eyes, and that's why they had that mirror._

_Anyway, I'll see you when you come visit 'Mione. _

_Ron_

**~**

_Dear Harry,_

_There's something I have to tell you. I – I'm – I can't – I think – I'm coming to Hogwarts today =__b=u=t=I=d=o=n='t=w=a=n=t=t=o=__ I'm coming to visit Hermione. Harry, I can't speak now, =__h=e=w=o=n='t=l=e=t=m=e=__ Mum's calling me for breakfast. Please meet me in =__D=u=m=b=l=e=d=o=r=e='s=o=f=f=i=c=e=__ the Hospital Wing. Don't let me go without telling you. =__I=t='s=d=a=n=g=e=r=o=u=s=__. You can't leave me alone, =__I=m=i=g=h=t= __I miss you guys so much. You have to take me to Dumbledore's office. __It's important! =T=e=l=l=h=i=m=__ Although students probably aren't allowed in there, so never mind.__ I ,– Don't -_

_Ginny _


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N: **OK, first of all, I am so sorry that I didn't update last night, but my mum started this big cleaning frenzy, and I didn't get the chance. I really hope you like this chapter, as it's so important, and I didn't know if I did it justice. Also, I would like to apologise, as I used quite a few large quotes from _Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets_ in this chapter and the next, because there was rather a lot of explanations needed, and, let's face it, nothing I wrote could be as good as JK's original. Which reminds me, I don't think I've actually done a disclaimer yet. So, this will be one disclaimer to cover the whole story.

As sad as it may seem, and as hard as it is to believe, I am not JK Rowling, nor will I ever be, so Harry Potter does not belong to me at all. In fact, really, besides my laptop and my rather large collection of teenage fantasy novels, not much does.

**Chapter Eight:**

Harry stared in confusion at the letter in his hand. The owl had only just flown through the window of the Hospital Wing, where he and Ron were sitting with Hermione. They had been granted special permission from McGonagall again, because Ginny had arrived that morning to visit Hermione, and the Professor had thought it would be less distressing if they were there too. Professor McGonagall had not wanted to let Ginny visit at all, but Ginny was insistent that she come, and she was so distraught that the adults had agreed. But Ginny had only been in the room for ten minutes or so before saying she needed to use the bathroom and leaving. It was only five minutes later that the owl arrived bearing a letter that she had obviously written that morning. Which was strange, as she hadn't mentioned a letter. And the letter itself was so unlike Ginny. It was covered in scratching out, as though she'd gone to say something and then stopped. It hardly even made sense.

Harry was worried. Ginny had looked pale and worn out all morning, a mere shadow of the girl he remembered. She looked like she hadn't slept in months. He had seen her only last week, and she had looked nowhere near as bad then. Harry sighed. Something was definitely wrong. If it hadn't been for the fact that he had noticed some of these signs over Christmas, he probably would have brushed them off as worry for Hermione. But that just didn't fit. Especially since she'd barely glanced at Hermione the entire time she was in the Hospital Wing, preferring to stare at her shoes.

With another sigh, Harry lifted the letter up to the window. If he squinted, he could just make out the words written under the crossing out. What he read made him frown. He was certain there was something wrong now, and equally certain that he shouldn't have let Ginny leave on her own. He looked over to Ron, and if he wasn't so worried, Harry would almost have been amused. Ron was so busy staring at Hermione that he hadn't even noticed Harry's preoccupation with the letter. Doubtless he hadn't even noticed the letter arrive.

"Ron," he said, causing his best friend's head to jerk up in surprise.

Harry gave Ron the letter and let him read it over before he continued. "Something's wrong with Ginny. She's not acting herself. And this letter – it's almost like she was trying to tell me something, but something kept stopping her."

Ron frowned. "Where'd she go anyway?" he asked, looking around him as though expecting her to pop out from behind one of the beds.

"She went to the bathroom about twenty minutes ago," Harry replied "I'm getting worried. I think we should go to McGonagall. She'll know what to do, and if not, maybe she can take us to Dumbledore."

Ron looked hesitantly at Hermione, before he nodded and stood up. "You're right. This isn't like Ginny. Let's go to the staff room. She'll be there in ten minutes, it's nearly break."

They ran downstairs. When they reached the staff room, they hesitated before going straight in to the deserted room. They didn't want to be caught hanging around anymore corridors, after all. They had barely walked in when echoing through the corridors came McGonagall's voice, magically magnified.

"_All students to return to their house dormitories at once. All teachers return to the staff room. Immediately, please."_

Harry wheeled round to stare at Ron.

"Not another attack? Not now?"

"What'll we do?" said Ron, aghast. "Go back to the dormitory?"

"No," said Harry, glancing around. There was an ugly sort of wardrobe to his left, full of the teachers' cloaks. "In here. Let's hear what it's all about. Then we can tell her about Ginny."

They hid themselves inside it, listening to the rumbling of hundreds of people moving overhead, and the staff room door banging open. From between the musty folds of the coats, they watched the teachers filtering into the room. Some of them were looking puzzled, others downright scared. Then Professor McGonagall arrived.

"It has happened," she told the silent staff room. "A child has been taken by the monster. Right into the Chamber itself."

Harry felt a cold feeling of dread settle into the bottom of his stomach. Professor Flitwick let out a squeal. Professor Sprout clapped her hands over her mouth. Snape gripped the back of his chair very hard and said, "How can you be sure?"

"The Heir of Slytherin," said Professor McGonagall, who was very white, "left another message. Right underneath the first one. _Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever._"

Professor Flitwick burst into tears.

"Who is it?" said Madam Hooch, who had sunk, weak-kneed into a chair.

"Ginny Weasley," said Professor McGonagall, and Harry felt Ron slide silently down onto the wardrobe floor beside him as the bottom seemed to fall out of his stomach. He vaguely heard the teachers exclaiming. Questioning why Ginny of all people, a pureblood who wasn't even a student at Hogwarts, had been taken by the monster. But Harry didn't bother wondering why. Ginny was definitely connected to all of this, and they had to get her back. They had to.

Harry was jolted back into the present at the sound of the staffroom door banging open. For one wild moment, Harry was sure it would be Dumbledore. But it was Lockhart, and he was beaming.

"So sorry – dozed off – what have I missed?"

He didn't seem to notice that the other teachers were looking at him with something remarkably like hatred. Snape stepped forward.

"Just the man," he said. "The very man. A girl has been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Taken into the Chamber of Secrets itself. Your moment has come at last."

Lockhart blanched.

"That's right, Gilderoy," chipped in Professor Sprout. "Weren't you saying just last night that you've known all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?"

"I – well, I – " spluttered Lockhart.

"Yes, didn't you tell me you were sure you knew what was inside it?" piped up Professor Flitwick.

"D-did I? I don't recall ..."

"I certainly remember you saying you were sorry you hadn't had a crack at the monster before Hagrid was arrested," said Snape. "Didn't you say that the whole affair had been bungled, and that you should have been given a free reign from the first?"

Lockhart stared around at his stony faced colleagues.

"I ... I really never ... You may have misunderstood ..."

Harry could feel his hatred for the man double as he watched the blustering idiot trying to talk his way out of helping Ginny. He barely even noticed when Lockhart left and McGonagall finished speaking. As the teachers rose and left one by one, he looked to Ron, seeing the same determination on his best mate's face as he was sure was on his own. They would get Ginny back.

After they crawled out of the wardrobe and left the staff room, they looked at each other.

"I think we should go and see Lockhart," Ron said "Tell him what we know. He's going to try to get into the Chamber. We can tell him where we think it is, and tell him it's a Basilisk in there."

Harry doubted very much that Lockhart would be of any help, but it would be a few hours before their parents could arrive, and Lockhart was probably their best bet at the moment. If they waited too much longer ... No. He couldn't believe that she was dead. Ginny was strong. She'd fight. But even so...

There seemed to be a lot of activity going on in Lockhart's office when they finally reached it. They could hear scraping, thumps, and hurried footsteps.

Harry knocked and there was a sudden silence from inside. Then the door opened the tiniest crack and they saw one of Lockhart's eyes peering through it.

"Oh ... Mr Potter ... Mr Weasley..." he said, opening the door a mite wider. "I'm rather busy at the moment. If you would be quick..."

"Professor we've got some information for you," said Harry. "We think it'll help you."

"Er – well – it's not terribly – " the side of Lockhart's face that they could see looked very uncomfortable. "I mean – well – all right."

He opened the door and they entered.

His office had been almost completely stripped. Two large trunks stood open on the floor. Robes, jade green, lilac, midnight blue, had been hastily folded into one of them; books were jumbled untidily into the other. The photographs that had covered the walls were now crammed into boxes on the desk.

"Are you going somewhere?" Harry asked, feeling his earlier fury come back at full force.

"Er, well, yes," said Lockhart, ripping a life-size poster of himself from the back of the door as he spoke, and starting to role it up. "Urgent call ... unavoidable...got to go ..."

"What about my sister?" asked Ron jerkily. Harry himself was finding it rather difficult to talk.

"Well, as to that – most unfortunate," said Lockhart, avoiding their eyes as he wrenched open a draw and started emptying the contents into a bag. "No one regrets more than I – "

"You're the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher!" Harry exploded "You can't go now! Not with all the dark stuff going on here!"

"Well, I must say ... when I took the job ..." Lockhart muttered, now piling socks on top of his robes, "Nothing in the job description ... didn't expect ..."

"You mean you're _running away_?" said Harry disbelievingly. "After all that stuff you did in your books?"

"Books can be misleading," said Lockhart delicately.

"You wrote them!" shouted Harry.

Harry listened in disgust as Lockhart explained how he'd cheated so many people with his memory charms, but most of his mind was on Ginny. How long had she been down there? How much longer could she –

Harry pulled himself away from those thoughts. That wasn't going to help anything. He looked up just in time to see Lockhart pulling his wand on them, and acted instinctively.

"_Expelliarmus_!" he cried.

Lockhart was blasted backwards, falling over his trunk. His wand flew high into the air; Ron caught it, and flung it out of the window.

"Shouldn't have let Professor Snape teach us that one," he said furiously, kicking Lockhart's trunk aside. Lockhart was looking up at him, weedy once more. Harry was still pointing his wand at him.

"What do you want me to do?" said Lockhart weakly. I don't know where the Chamber of Secrets is. There's nothing I can do."

"You're in luck," said Harry, forcing Lockhart to his feet at wandpoint. "We think _we_ know where it is. _And_ what's inside it. Let's go."

*~*

Harry could feel his heart beating in his chest. They had found the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, just where Harry and Ron had thought it would be. He had used Parseltongue to open the entrance, pushing Lockhart through first. But when Lockhart had stolen Ron's wand and attempted to Memory Charm them, the roof of the tunnel had caved in, separating him from both Ron and Lockhart. He didn't have time to wait for Ron to dig a hole through, although he knew that's what Ron wanted to do. They were wasting time. Ginny had already been in the Chamber of Secrets for hours. Harry knew there was only one thing to do.

"Wait there," he called to Ron. "Wait with Lockhart. I'll go on. If I'm not back in an hour ..."

There was a very pregnant pause.

"I'll try and shift some more of this rock." Said Ron, who seemed to be trying to keep his voice steady. "So you can – can get back through. And Harry – "

"See you in a bit," said Harry, trying to inject some confidence into his shaking voice.

And he set off alone, leaving the distant noise of Ron straining to lift the heavy rock behind him. The tunnel turned and turned again. Every nerve in Harry's body was tingling unpleasantly. He wanted the tunnel to end, yet dreaded what he'd find when it did. And then, at last, as he crept around yet another bend, he saw a solid wall ahead on which two entwined serpents were carved, their eyes set with great, glinting emeralds.

Harry approached, his throat very dry. There was no need to pretend these stone snakes were real, their eyes looked strangely alive. He could guess what he had to do. He cleared his throat, and the emerald eyes seemed to flicker.

"_Open_," said Harry, in a low, faint hiss.

The serpents parted as the wall cracked open, the halves slid smoothly out of sight, and Harry, shaking from head to foot, walked inside.


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N:** I am so sorry for the wait, guys! I had a ridiculously busy weekend; anyone who's ever been involved in a production of some kind will understand, I'm sure. But I feel horribly guilty and **promise** to update tomorrow! If anyone's still reading this, I hope you enjoy!

**Chapter Nine:**

He was standing at the end of a very long, dimly lit chamber. Towering stone pillars entwined with more carved serpents rose to support a ceiling lost to darkness, casting long black shadows through the odd, greenish glow that filled the place.

His heart beating very fast, Harry stood listening to the chill silence. Could the basilisk be lurking in a shadowy corner, behind a pillar? And where was Ginny?

He pulled out his wand and moved forward between the serpentine columns. Every careful footstep echoed loudly off the shadowy walls. He kept his eyes narrowed, ready to clamp them shut at the smallest sign of movement. The hollow eye sockets of the stone snakes seemed to be following him. More than once, with a jolt of the stomach, he thought he saw one stir.

Then, as he drew level with the last pair of pillars, a statue as high as the Chamber itself loomed into view, standing against the back wall. Harry had to crane his neck to look up into the giant face above: it was ancient and monkey-like, with a long thin beard that fell almost to the bottom of the wizard's sweeping stone robes, where two enormous grey feet stood on the smooth chamber floor.

And there, between its feet, lay a small figure with flaming red hair. "_Ginny_!" Harry's breath caught in his throat, and, forgetting the danger, he ran forward and dropped to his knees.

"Ginny don't be dead, please don't be dead!" He flung his wand aside and grabbed her shoulders.

Ginny was lying face down and when he turned her over, her skin was as cold as marble, but her eyes were closed, so she couldn't be petrified. He could feel tears gathering in his eyes as he shock, desperate to make her wake. She couldn't be dead. Ginny was his best friend. He'd known her his whole life. She couldn't be dead.

"Ginny, please wake up," Harry muttered desperately. Ginny's head lolled hopelessly from side to side.

"She won't wake," said a soft voice.

Harry swung around to see a tall, black haired boy leaning against the next pillar, watching.

"Who are you?" He asked, gently moving Ginny so that she was lying behind him. The stranger's words registered and he looked up sharply. "What do you mean she won't wake? She's not – she's not – ?

"She's still alive," said the boy. "But only just."

"Who are you?" Harry repeated "What are you doing here?"

The boy straightened and slowly began to walk over. Harry looked desperately around for his wand, but it was nowhere to be found.

"My name is Tom Marvolo Riddle. I guess you could say that I'm the _soul_ of little Ginny's diary." He had a strange smirk on his face, but Harry was too preoccupied to pay it much attention.

"You're _what_?" he asked, stunned. "Her _diary_?" to say Harry was confused would be a gross understatement.

"Oh yes," Riddle said. "Little Ginny's been writing in me all year. About how it was so _unfair_ that everyone else got to go to Hogwarts except her. How _lonely_ she was all alone, without any of her friends."

Harry felt a sharp twinge of guilt, but he was so confused that he let it pass.

"It's very boring you know, listening to the whining of a ten year old girl."

Riddle seemed to be enjoying Harry's discomfort, as he pulled a wand from his pocket and began lazily twirling it around in his fingers. He put on a high pitched voice that Harry knew sounded nothing like Ginny. "_Oh Tom, I'm so sad all alone here, while my friends and brothers are all having fun at Hogwarts. They probably won't even want to be near me when they come home, because I'm just stupid little Ginny, too young to do _anything_. But you're my friend, aren't you Tom. You'll never leave me._"

Harry felt a chill creep up his spine at the look of hatred on Riddle's face. He was starting to think that this Tom might be the reason Ginny was here in the first place. His eyes caught on the wand in Riddle's hand, and widened.

"Hey, that's my wand! Do you mind giving it back?" A smile curled the edges of Riddle's mouth. He continued to stare at Harry, twirling the wand idly.

Wary, but frustrated, Harry bent to pick up Ginny's limp form.

"Listen," he said urgently, his knees sagging with Ginny's dead weight. "_We've got to go!_ If the Basilisk comes..."

"It won't come until it is called," said Riddle calmly.

Harry lowered Ginny back onto the floor, unable to hold her up any longer.

"What do you mean?" he asked. "Look, give me my wand. I might need it."

Riddle's smile broadened.

"You won't be needing it," he said.

Harry stared at him, feeling a rising dread. "How did Ginny get like this?" He asked slowly.

"Well, I suppose the real reason Ginny Weasley's like this is because she opened her heart and spilled all of her secret to an invisible stranger."

"What are you talking about?" said Harry.

"As I said, it's very _boring_ having to listen to the silly little troubles of a ten year old girl." Riddle continued. "But I was patient. I wrote back, I was sympathetic, I was kind. Ginny simply _loved_ me. _I'm so glad I've got this diary to confide in ... it's like having a little friend I can carry round in my pocket..."_

He laughed a cold, high laugh that raised the hairs on the back of Harry's neck.

"If I say it myself, Harry, I've always been able to charm the people I needed. So Ginny poured out her soul to me, and her soul happened to be exactly what I wanted. I grew stronger and stronger on a diet of her deepest fears, her darkest secrets. I grew powerful, far more powerful than little Miss Weasley. Powerful enough to start feeding Miss Weasley a few of _my_ secrets, to start pouring a little of _my_ soul back into _her_..."

"What do you mean?" said Harry, whose mouth had gone very dry.

"Haven't you guessed yet, Harry Potter?" said Riddle softly. "Ginny Weasley opened the Chamber of Secrets. She wrote those messages, and let loose the Basilisk on those unsuspecting students. On your sister..."

"No," Harry whispered.

"Yes," said Riddle calmly. "Of course she didn't _know_ what she was doing at first. But in the weeks leading up to the first attack, I was taking her over, testing my limits. And then the Quidditch games. Didn't you ever think it strange that the attacks only happened on days when Gryffindor played Quidditch? That Ginny always left before the attacks? But she had no memory of it. She even wrote to you about it; that she was blanking out, couldn't remember anything that happened that day. I was possessing her, but you just shrugged her off."

Harry felt the horror of the realisation dawn on him. If only he'd told someone...

"And then, after the second attack, she started to make the connection," he continued. "The memories were locked away during her waking hours, but in her dreams ... she became suspicious. So I turned it round. Told her that _she_ was the one attacking the students. Her own, horrible, subconscious mind. Killing her friends. She tried to tell someone. She even managed to write something in your letter, but by then I was too strong for her. So I made her come to Hogwarts, write her own farewell on the wall and come down here to wait."

He paused and smirked at Harry before continuing. "And while we waited, I told her all about how it was her fault that she was here, her fault that I would be released back into the world, but most of all, her fault that you would die."

Harry stared up at him in confusion. "Me?"

"Yes Harry, you see, Ginny told me about your _unusual_ history. How you vanquished the Dark Lord. Before that, I had been planning to wait until Ginny went to school next year before unleashing the Basilisk on the mudbloods. But then, my new target became _you_. I wanted to know how an insignificant little infant managed to defeat the greatest wizard of all time. Tell me, Harry, how did you do it?"

"What's it matter to you? Voldemort was after your time." Harry said warily.

"You're wrong, Harry," Riddle said "Voldemort is my past, present and future..."

He pulled Harry's wand from his pocket and began to trace three words,

TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE

Slowly, the letters re-arranged until they spelt:

I AM LORD VOLDEMORT

Harry stared, dumbstruck, at the name before him. How was it possible that this ... _boy_ could be the most feared dark wizard in history?

"You see?" Riddle whispered. "It was a name I was already using at Hogwarts, to my most intimate friends only, of course. You think I was going to use my filthy Muggle father's name forever? I, in whose veins runs the blood of Salazar Slytherin himself, through my mother's side? I, keep the name of a foul, common Muggle, who abandoned me even before I was born, just because he found out his wife was a witch? No, Harry. I fashioned myself a new name, a name which I knew wizards everywhere would one day fear to speak."

"Oh, little Ginny was so distraught when I revealed myself to her." Riddle went on. "Especially when I told her that she was the reason I would once more be released upon the world. She cried for hours. At least," Tom smirked "Until I gained enough strength to curse her. Are you familiar with the _Cruciatus Curse_, Harry?"

Harry could feel himself shaking with the pent up rage and fear he was feeling. That he could have used the Cruciatus on Ginny...

"She had to be punished, you see," Riddle said, his face twisting into a horrifying mask of rage. "The brat had the impudence to disobey me! She was supposed to bring you down to the Chamber with her. But apparently, she still maintained some small shred of free will. Though I suppose it doesn't matter now, does it? Her sacrifice was in vain ... Now I have you, and the Wizarding World will once again be forced to bow to the greatest sorcerer in the world!"

Harry's brain seemed to have jammed. He stared numbly at Riddle, at the orphaned boy who had grown up to murder Harry's own parents, and so many others ... At last he forced himself to speak.

"You're not," he said, his quiet voice full of hatred.

"Not what?" snapped Riddle.

"Not the greatest sorcerer in the world," said Harry, breathing fast. "Sorry to disappoint you, and all that, but the greatest wizard in the world is Albus Dumbledore. Everyone says so. Even when you were strong, you didn't dare try to take over at Hogwarts. Dumbledore still frightens you now, wherever you're hiding these days."

The smile had gone from Riddle's face, to be replaced by a very ugly look.

"Dumbledore's been driven out of this castle by the mere _memory_ of me!" he hissed.

"He's not as gone as you might think!" Harry retorted. He was speaking at random, wanting to scare Riddle, wishing rather than believing it to be true.

Harry stared defiantly at Riddle, knowing that it was unlikely either he or Ginny would escape, but unwilling to give in. He was about to open his mouth; to say what, he wasn't sure, when he heard music. The music seemed to come from everywhere at once, and filled his heart with hope.

Riddle whirled around and stared down the empty chamber as the music swelled and reached such a pitch that Harry felt it vibrating inside his own ribs, and a burst of flames erupted from the nearest pillar.

A crimson bird the size of a swan had appeared, piping its weird music up to the vaulted ceiling. It had a glittering golden tail as long as a peacock's and gleaming golden talons, which were gripping a ragged bundle. In a moment of thrilling clarity, Harry suddenly recognised the glorious bird as it flew straight towards him, dropping the ragged thing it was carrying and landing heavily on his shoulder.

"_Fawkes?_" Harry breathed, and he felt the phoenix's golden claws squeeze his shoulder gently.

"And _that_ – " said Riddle, eyeing the tattered thing that Fawkes had dropped, "That's the old school Sorting Hat."

So it was. Patched, frayed and dirty, the hat lay motionless at Harry's feet.

Seeing Harry's confusion, Riddle began to laugh again. "Are these the best weapons Dumbledore can send his defender? A songbird and an old hat? Do you feel brave now, Harry Potter?"

Harry didn't answer. He might not see what use Fawkes and the Sorting Hat were, but he was no longer alone, and he waited with mounting courage for Riddle to stop laughing.

"To business Harry," said Riddle, still smiling. "Twice – in _your_ past, in _my_ future – we have met. And twice I failed to kill you. _How did you survive?_ Tell me everything. The longer you talk," he added softly, "The longer you stay alive."

But Harry was not interested in prolonging this conversation. The longer he waited, the closer Ginny was to death. And in the meantime, Harry noticed, Riddle was becoming clearer. If there was going to be a battle, better to have it now, than later.

"Nobody knows how you lost your powers when you attacked me," said Harry abruptly. "I don't know myself. But I know why you couldn't _kill_ me. Because my mother used her love for Hermione and me to create a spell to save us. My common, _Muggle-born_ mother," he added, shaking with suppressed rage. "She stopped you killing me. And where has all your power gotten you? You're in hiding, exiled, and alone!"

Riddle's face contorted. Then he forced it into an awful smile.

"So. A mother's love. Yes, that's a powerful counter-charm. I can see now – there is nothing special about you, after all. I wondered, you see. Because there are strange likenesses between us, Harry Potter. Both half-bloods. Probably the only two Parselmouths to come to Hogwarts since the great Slytherin himself. We even _look_ something alike ... But, after all, it was only a lucky chance that saved you from me. That's all I wanted to know."

Harry stood, tense, waiting for Riddle to raise his wand. But Riddle's twisted smile was widening again.

"Now, Harry, I'm going to teach you a little lesson. Let's match the powers of Lord Voldemort against famous Harry Potter, and the best weapons Dumbledore could give him."

He cast an amused eye over Fawkes and the Sorting Hat, then walked away. Harry, fear spreading up his numb legs, watched Riddle stop between the high pillars and look up into the stone face of Slytherin, high above him in the half-darkness. Riddle opened his mouth wide and hissed – but Harry understood what he was saying.

"_Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four._"

Harry wheeled around to look up at the statue, Fawkes swaying on his shoulder. Slytherin's gigantic stone face was moving. Horror struck, Harry saw his mouth opening, wider and wider, to make a huge black hole. And something was stirring inside the statue's mouth. Something was slithering up from its depths.

Harry backed away until he hit the dark Chamber wall, and as he shut his eyes tight, he felt Fawkes' wing sweep his cheek as he took flight. Harry wanted to shout "Don't leave me!" but what chance did a phoenix have against the king of serpents?

Something huge hit the stone floor of the Chamber, Harry felt it shudder. He knew what was happening, he could sense it, could almost see the giant serpent uncoiling itself from Slytherin's mouth. Then he heard Riddle's hissing voice: "_Kill him._"

The Basilisk was moving towards Harry, he could hear its heavy body slithering ponderously across the dusty floor. In the back of Harry's mind, he knew he had to get as far away from Ginny as possible, lest the monster hurt her in his attack. Eyes still tightly shut, Harry began to run blindly sideways, his hands outstretched, feeling his way. Riddle was laughing ...

The next few minutes were terrifying, as Harry ran, hoping desperately that some miracle would occur, something would prevent the inevitable moment when the snake would reach him. The snake was not hurrying, for there was nowhere for Harry to hide. It could afford to take its time.

Harry tripped. He fell hard onto the stone and tasted blood. The serpent was only feet behind him; he could hear it coming. There was a loud, explosive spitting sound right above him, and then something hit Harry so hard that he was smashed against the wall. Waiting for fangs to sink through his body he heard more mad hissing, something thrashing wildly off the pillars. He hoped Ron would survive. Maybe the snake would just go back into the statue after it had killed him, and Ron could come and rescue Ginny before Riddle was prepared. If he got her to Madam Pomfrey in time, maybe ...

He couldn't help it. He opened his eyes wide enough to squint at what was going on, as the thrashing got louder and louder.

The enormous serpent, bright, poisonous green, thick as an oak trunk, had raised itself high in the air and its great blunt head was weaving drunkenly between the pillars. As Harry trembled, ready to close his eyes if it turned, he saw what had distracted the snake.

Fawkes was circling around its head, and the Basilisk was snapping furiously at him with fangs as long and thin as razors. Fawkes dived. His long golden beak sank out of sight and a sudden shower of dark blood splattered the floor. The snake's tail thrashed, narrowly missing Harry, and before Harry could shut his eyes, it turned. But its piercing yellow orbs had been stabbed by the Phoenix, and blood flowed freely from the sockets.

"_No_," Harry heard Riddle screaming. "_Leave the bird! Leave the bird! The boy is behind you! You can still smell him. Kill him!_"

The blinded serpent swayed, confused, still deadly. Fawkes was circling its head, piping his eerie song, jabbing here and there at the Basilisk's scaly nose as the blood poured from its eyes. With a long thrust of its tail, the Basilisk swept the Sorting Hat into Harry's hands, and in desperation, Harry rammed it onto his head and threw himself straight to the floor as the Basilisk's swept above him once again.

"_Help me ... help me ..._" Harry thought, his eyes screwed tight under the hat. "_Please help me!_"

There was no answering voice. Instead, the hat contracted, as though an invisible hand was squeezing it very tightly. Something very hard and heavy thudded onto the top of his head, nearly knocking him out. Stars winking in front of his eyes, he grabbed the top of the hat to pull it off, and felt something long and hard beneath it.

A gleaming silver sword had appeared from inside the hat, its handle glittering with rubies the size of eggs.

"_Kill the boy! Leave the bird! The boy is behind you! Sniff – smell him!_"

Putting his disbelief aside, Harry jumped to his feet, holding the sword ready. The Basilisk's head was falling, its body coiling around, hitting pillars as it twisted to face him. He could see the vast, bloody eye sockets, see the mouth stretching wide, wide enough to swallow him whole, lined with fangs long as his sword, thin, glittering, venomous...

It lunged blindly. Harry dodged, feeling the adrenaline pumping through his veins as it hit the chamber wall. It lunged again, and its forked tongue lashed Harry's side. Ignoring the pain, Harry raised the sword in both his hands.

The Basilisk lunged again, and this time its aim was true. Harry threw his whole weight behind the sword and drove it to the hilt into the roof of the serpent's mouth. But as warm blood drenched Harry's arms, he felt a searing pain just above his elbow. One long, poisonous fang was sinking deeper and deeper into his arm and it splintered as the Basilisk keeled over sideways, and fell, twitching, to the floor.

Harry slid down the wall, feeling as though his entire body was on fire. He gripped the fang that was spreading poison through his body and wrenched it out of his arm. But he knew it was too late. White hot pain was spreading slowly and steadily through the wound. Even as he dropped the fang and watched his own blood soaking his robes, his vision went foggy. The chamber was dissolving in a whirl of colour. He spared a thought for Ginny. At least now the Basilisk was gone, so Ron would have a much better chance of saving her.

A patch of scarlet swam past and Harry heard a soft clatter of claws beside him. "Fawkes," said Harry thickly. "You were brilliant, Fawkes..." He felt the bird lay its beautiful head on the spot where the serpent's fang had pierced him.

He could hear echoing footsteps, and then a dark shadow moved in front of him.

"You're dead, Harry Potter," said Riddle's voice above him. "Dead. Even Dumbledore's bird knows it. Do you see what he's doing, Potter? He's crying."

Harry blinked. Fawkes' head slid in and out of focus. Thick, pearly tears were trickling down the glossy feathers. At the back of his mind, Harry could vaguely remember something about Phoenixes and their tears. Something Hermione had once told him, or his mother. Or maybe even Dumbledore. He didn't know. The memory wouldn't come, and he was too tired to think of it now.

"I'm going to sit here and watch you die, Harry Potter. Take your time, I'm in no hurry."

Harry felt drowsy. Everything around him seemed to be spinning.

"So ends the famous Harry Potter," said Riddle's distant voice. "Alone in the Chamber of Secrets, forsaken by his friends, defeated by the Dark Lord he so unwisely challenged. Your mother brought you 11 years of borrowed time, but Lord Voldemort got you in the end, as you knew he must. And I'll go after that sister of yours, now, too. No one lives once the Dark Lord decides it is time for them to die..."

Harry felt a flash of anger at that. If only he could... But wait! Instead of going black, the Chamber was coming back into focus. Harry gave his head a little shake, and there was Fawkes, still resting his head on Harry's arm. A pearly patch of tears was shining all around the wound. Only, there _was_ no wound.

"Get away, bird," said Riddle's voice suddenly. "Get away from him. I said, _get away!_"

Harry raised his head. Riddle was pointing Harry's wand at Fawkes; there was a bang like a gun, and Fawkes took flight again in a whirl of gold and scarlet.

"Phoenix tears... " said Riddle quietly, staring at Harry's arm. "Of course... healing powers... I forgot..."

He looked into Harry's face. "But it makes no difference. In fact, I prefer it this way. Just you and me, Harry Potter... you and me..."

He raised the wand and Harry felt his heart jump into his throat. Surely he didn't just cheat one death, only to be finished minutes later?

Then, in a rush of wings, Fawkes soared back overhead and something fell into Harry's lap – _the diary_. He recognised it from Christmas, the little black diary that had so amused Ginny...

For a split second, both Harry and Riddle, wand still raised, stared at it. Then, without thinking, without considering, acting on an impulse he couldn't explain, as though he had been going to do it all along, Harry seized the Basilisk fang on the floor next to him and plunged it straight into the heart of the book.

There was a long, dreadful, piercing scream. Ink spurted out of the diary in torrents, streaming over Harry's hands, flooding the floor. Riddle was writhing and twisting, screaming and flailing, and then...

He had gone. Harry's wand fell to the floor with a clatter and there was silence. Silence except for the steady _drip drip_ of ink still oozing from the diary. The Basilisk venom had burned a sizzling hole right through it.

Shaking all over, Harry pulled himself up. His head was spinning as though he'd just travelled miles by Floo Powder. Slowly, he gathered together his wand and the Sorting Hat, and, with a huge tug, retrieved the glittering sword from the roof of the Basilisk's mouth.

There was a faint moan from the other end of the Chamber, and, forgetting his exhaustion, Harry sprinted to Ginny's side. _Ginny_. She was waking up...


	11. Chapter 10

**A/N: **Guys, I am so sorry for the _ridiculously_ long wait! But I have a really good excuse: my laptop died, and it took me forever to get it fixed and sorted out, what with school and everything. I've been using the family computer, but the story was saved on the laptop, so I couldn't get to it. Thankfully, it's all fixed now, so I'm very sorry to anyone who thought I had abandoned this or anything. For anyone who's still reading this, I hope you enjoy!

**Chapter Ten:**

As Ginny slowly regained consciousness, the first thing she noticed was that she was absolutely freezing cold. And rather than lying in her bed as she'd normally expect upon waking up, she seemed to be lying on something that was both very hard, and a very long way from the ceiling above her. She let out a groan as some of the pain her body was feeling seeped through to her numb mind. She felt as though her entire body had been pounded into mulch. Or possibly forced through a blender. Before she could even begin to imagine where she could be, she heard a gasp from somewhere near, and then there was Harry. The sight of his dirty, mucky, bloodstained appearance caused everything to come flooding back, and suddenly she was sobbing. Sitting up, she threw her arms around Harry, ignoring the muck, as, in the dim recesses of her mind she realised that she probably didn't look any better.

"Harry," she began. "You have to get out of here! It's dangerous, and Tom! Oh Merlin – Tom! Harry, he's Voldemort, and he's after you – and the Basilisk – you have to leave! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to – "

"Gin, calm down," Harry said, finally succeeding in halting the flow of words after several failed attempts. "It's alright. Riddle – Tom – he's gone. The diary, everything. It's all over."

Ginny blinked up at him as she was hit by a wave of feelings. Tom was gone? It was over? How could –

It was only then that Ginny took a proper look around the Chamber, finally noticing the Basilisk: huge, terrifying, and quite obviously dead. In disbelief, she swung back around to stare at Harry, and the gleaming, bloodstained sword caught her attention.

"Harry, did you – did you _kill_ that thing?" Ginny found her voice was shaking, but she didn't particularly care.

"Er, Fawkes helped," Harry said rather lamely, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck, before realising that that hand held the Sorting Hat.

Seeing this, Ginny looked up at him in confusion. "Er, Harry I can understand the sword and everything, though I won't even begin to imagine where you found it, but why are you carrying an old hat?"

At her obvious uncertainty, Harry bit back a smile. Frankly, he was relieved that she'd stopped crying. A Basilisk he could handle. A crying Ginny? Not so much. "It's kind of a long story. Why don't we get out of here? Ron and Lockhart are waiting at the entrance."

"Ron's here?" Ginny asked, finding herself strangely delighted at the prospect of seeing her brother after everything that had happened. "Wait, _Lockhart's _here? Why isn't he with you, then? He's the professor; he's supposed to be protecting his students, not waiting around til after they're done slaying Basilisks and evil Dark Lords."

Her righteous indignation was rather gratifying to Harry, although the thought of Lockhart attempting to fight Voldemort was laughable. "Lockhart's not really in a state to fight off a squirrel at the moment," he said. At Ginny's look of confusion, he just shook his head. "You'll see."

Ginny suddenly drew grave and Harry looked at her in concern.

"Oh Merlin, Harry! I'm going to be in so much trouble! They'll never let me into Hogwarts now; they'll probably throw me in Azkaban! I tried to murder the students!" Ginny's voice was quiet, but the panic was plain.

Harry shook his head. "Gin, that wasn't you. Of course you'll be at Hogwarts next year; Dumbledore will understand." Ginny still didn't look particularly convinced, but she allowed Harry to pull her to her feet without another protest.

Together, leaning on each other for support, they made their way back through the Chamber and into the tunnel, Fawkes fluttering encouragingly above them. Harry was glad to see that it was still lit with that eerie green glow, as even a _lumos_ spell seemed quite beyond him at the moment. As they moved further down the tunnel, they could here scrabbling sounds of rock being displaced, and nearing closer, they could hear Ron talking angrily.

"Oh, come _on_! It's a piece of bloody rock! It's not about to jump up and start tap dancing!" Through the small gap he'd made in the rocks, they could see his back was to them. He seemed to be talking to Lockhart, if the aggravation in his voice was anything to go by. "Put the bloody thing down and help me shift this so we can go and help Harry!"

Harry and Ginny shared a grin.

"I don't know, Ron. Stranger things have happened in the Wizarding World than tap-dancing rocks."

"_Harry?_" Ron span around so fast that he nearly over balanced, causing Ginny to let out a small giggle.

"_Ginny!_" Ron was beaming, and like a man possessed, he began shovelling rocks out of the way until the hole was big enough for them to squeeze through. He reached out and pulled Ginny through the hole and into a back-breaking hug that would rival their mother's.

He reached out to pull Harry through, but before he could, Fawkes swooped down through the gap. Seeing Ron's incredulity, Harry grinned. "He's Dumbledore's."

Ron turned to stare at Harry, and for the first time, noticed what he was carrying.

"Woah! Where'd you get a _sword?_" He asked, dumbstruck.

Harry clambered through the gap, Ron belatedly remembering to offer a hand. "It's a bit of a long story, and I don't really want to tell it too often. Let's wait til we get to McGonagall's office."

Ron looked ready to protest, but Harry shot a significant look at Ginny, who, at the mention of McGonagall, had turned rather pale and was biting her lip worriedly. With surprising tact, Ron nodded, turning instead to the giant slide.

"How are we going to get back up there?" he asked.

Stumped, Harry looked aimlessly around him for inspiration. He was just gazing at the sword, wondering vaguely if it would be possible to somehow use it as a pick-axe to climb the slide, when Fawkes swooped in front of him and stopped, directly in front of his face. The phoenix was looking at Harry expectantly, and in as dignified a manner as possible, he wriggled his tail feathers slightly.

"Er, I think he wants us to grab hold," Harry said tentatively, looking at Fawkes for confirmation. The Phoenix gave the smallest nod of agreement, and Harry, without anything better to do, took a handful of the bird's large tail in his hand.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Ron exclaimed. "How is that bird going to carry all of us out of here?"

"Fawkes is no ordinary bird."

*~*

Fawkes carried all four of them, with seemingly no effort, not just up the slide, but out of the bathroom, and all the way to McGonagall's office. Harry had a vague thought that it was a good thing everyone was confined to their Common Rooms, as the sight of them forming a sort of flying chain would look rather bizarre. And it appeared closed doors were of little consequence to a Phoenix, as Fawkes didn't bother to let them down before flying straight through the door into the office and depositing them in front of a room of startled adults.

For a split second, nobody moved. Ginny could see her mother, Lily and Katie on either side of her, collapsed in a chair before the desk, tears still pouring down their faces as they stared in shock at the children in front of them. Her father seemed to have paused mid pace, his mouth open and his foot raised. Behind him, Remus, Sirius and James were all gobsmacked, as Dumbledore looked on, seated at the desk, his surprise quickly being replaced with the familiar twinkle in his eye.

And then there was a shriek, and Molly was pulling Ginny into the tightest embrace she had ever experienced. Which was saying something, really. Professor McGonagall, who had been standing behind the door, collapsed into Molly's vacant chair, her knees seemingly having given out beneath her. As though these two movements were some kind of trigger, Arthur, Lily, James, Sirius, Katie, and Remus surged forward, everyone exclaiming at once.

"Oh thank Merlin everyone's alright!"

"You saved her!"

"How did you do it?"

"What happened?"

And then Lily's voice could be heard above the clamour; "Young man, just where exactly did you get a _sword?_"

Once again, everyone paused, this time staring at the glittering, bloodstained sword still clutched in Harry's hand. Before Harry had a chance to answer, Dumbledore held up his hand for silence.

"I believe this has the makings of a rather long story." He said, his blue eyes twinkling fully now. "Might I suggest that we allow everybody to take a seat before young Mr Potter begins?"

He waved his hand and a large selection of seats appeared, the room seeming to expand to accommodate them.

Harry and Ginny each gratefully sank into two cushy armchairs, with Ron seated on one side and Molly the other. They exchanged quick looks before Ginny indicated that Harry should begin. She was feeling quite ashamed and wished to speak as little as possible. Everyone in this room (with the exception of Lockhart) meant the world to her. She admired them all greatly, even Ron, and felt terrible that her stupidity had nearly caused the rebirth of Voldemort.

She had plenty of time to dwell on these thoughts as Harry told his story; about hearing the disembodied voice, following the spiders to Aragog's lair, Hermione's message... As he talked, she found herself feeling more and more stupid. If only she'd said something to someone, told them about the diary. She should have known the diary was dangerous. When Harry mentioned the letter he had received that morning, she only became more frustrated with herself. That stupid letter could have gotten him killed! Thankfully, Harry was rather good at staying alive, but that didn't change the fact that he had nearly died because of her.

As Harry continued his story, he was becoming more and more uncomfortable. For starters, everyone was staring at him as though they couldn't decide whether to yell at him for being so reckless, or be in awe of everything he had done. When he mentioned that he and Ron had overheard the conversation in the staff room and guessed the location of the Chamber after remembering a clue from one of Ginny's previous letters, James looked up sharply from where he had been examining the sword.

"Do you mean to tell me that you knew where the Chamber was, _and_ what was in it, and didn't think to let anyone know?" his voice was tight, and Harry looked down sheepishly.

Before he could defend himself, Ron spoke up for the first time. "We did tell someone. We told this prat." He said, jerking his thumb at Lockhart, who was staring dreamily out the window towards the night sky.

"Ah, yes." Professor Dumbledore said. "Gilderoy, I was wondering when your part in this story would come up. May I ask why you allowed two young students to accompany you to the Chamber of Secrets?" Lockhart, still looking out the window, apparently engrossed in his own reflection, did not appear to hear him.

"Accompany?" Ron scoffed. "We practically had to force him along at wand point. He was planning on running away when we caught him. Then he tried a memory charm on us, and it backfired."

James looked incensed at Lockhart's cowardice, but Dumbledore merely raised one eyebrow at Ron. "Backfired, Mr Weasley?"

Ron blushed and looked down. "I, er – " he cleared his throat. "I sort of sat on my wand a few months ago, Professor, and it hasn't worked quite right since." His ears were now a fetching shade of scarlet.

Molly had a rather comical look on her face at the thought of her son actually _sitting_ on his wand, while Sirius attempted to turn his bark-like laugh into a hasty cough.

"Ah, I see," Dumbledore said tactfully. "Carry on, Mr Potter."

Harry continued his story, frantically trying to think of a way to omit the fact that the Basilisk fang had stabbed him, yet still explain why the fang was in his hand to stab the diary. In the end, he decided that he was too tired to attempt to come up with an explanation, as he didn't think anyone would believe that the fang just fell out, and settled for the truth. Anyway, if everyone's expression was anything to go by, particularly Molly and his mother's, they could not really be any more horrified at what he had been through than they already were.

He was wrong. When he mentioned the fang piercing his arm, Molly shrieked, James looked ready to faint, and Lily threw herself out of her chair and wrapped him in a hug that could easily rival one of Molly Weasley's best. Once everyone had calmed down once more, Harry continued with his story, producing the diary from his pocket and placing it on the desk. He glanced at Ginny out of the corner of his eye as he did so, and was slightly alarmed to see that she had silent tears running down her face and looked utterly miserable. He had so far avoided mentioning Riddle's diary, or the fact that Ginny had actually opened the Chamber. What will they do to her? Harry thought in panic. Riddle's diary didn't work any more ... How could they prove that it had been he who'd made her do it all?

Instinctively, Harry looked at Dumbledore, who smiled faintly, the firelight glancing off his half-moon spectacles.

"What interests _me_ most," said Dumbledore gently, "Is how Lord Voldemort managed to enchant Ginny, when my sources tell me he is currently in hiding in the forests of Albania."

Relief – warm, sweeping, glorious relief – swept over Harry.

"_You Know Who?_" Molly looked scandalised, and was holding onto Ginny's hand for dear life. "You mean that boy was – You Know Who was p-possessing _Ginny_?" Her voice was dangerously high and as Dumbledore solemnly inclined his head, she seemed to deflate into her chair, heedless of Arthur's comforting hand on her shoulder, though his own knuckles were white with tension.

Harry winced. He had kind of been hoping to avoid this part. Before he could respond, Ginny spoke up from beside him in a deadened voice.

"The diary. Tom Marvolo Riddle. When you rearrange the letters, it spells '_I am Lord Voldemort_'."

There was a horrified silence as everyone digested this news, and Harry reached across and gripped Ginny's other hand comfortingly.

"Not many people know that Voldemort once attended Hogwarts under the name of Tom Riddle, fifty years ago," Dumbledore said, his voice grave. "Even those who knew him then, would not recognise the monster he became as the handsome young school boy he was."

Sirius and James looked disgusted at the idea of Voldemort ever being considered _handsome_.

"But how did he – "

"How did he possess your daughter?" Arthur winced slightly at Dumbledore's phrasing, but nodded.

"I believe that Voldemort was – feeding, if you will, off the energy young Ginevra was spending writing in this diary." Dumbledore peered down at Ginny with a questioning look, and Ginny nodded, her eyes on the floor.

"I've been writing in the diary since Ron found it in his Transfiguration book. He gave it to me just before he left." Ron looked horrified at this, and Harry knew he would be blaming himself, though it was in no way his fault. "Tom wrote back. I thought it was just a spell, and he was so nice, and – and – and I was so _stupid_ – " Ginny broke off, tears running down her face.

With a small sob, Molly enfolded her daughter in her arms, pulling her onto her lap.

"Oh, Ginny! It's not your fault. You couldn't have known – " Molly soothed Ginny, stroking her hair as she struggled to regain control.

"Your mother is right, Ginevra. Older and wiser wizards have been hoodwinked by Lord Voldemort. What has happened here is in no way your fault. Although I would advise that, should you find any more such objects, you bring them to my attention." Dumbledore's voice was kind, but Ginny still felt as though she was being admonished. Determined to show that she was not just a silly little girl, Ginny took a deep breath and composed herself, gently pulling away from her mother and settling back into her own chair. She caught Harry's eye and gave him a shaky smile. At least she wasn't going to be barred from going to Hogwarts next year.

"I think it might be best," Dumbledore said calmly, "If Miss Weasley is taken to the Hospital Wing. Bed rest and perhaps a large, steaming mug of hot chocolate. I always find that cheers me up," he smiled gently at her before turning to her parents. "Molly, Arthur, you are welcome to stay the night. Though I might suggest stopping past Gryffindor tower and informing your sons of the good news."

Everybody gave a small start at this. They had been so engrossed in the story, so relieved that everyone was safe, that they had forgotten that most of Ginny's brothers still believed her to be dead.

"Oh, yes! Of course! Ron, would you – " Molly looked pleadingly to her youngest son.

Ron cast a curious glance at Harry before getting to his feet. "Yeah, sure Mum."

"Mr Weasley, if you would take Professor Lockhart with you to the Hospital Wing? I think you will find that Madam Pomfrey is still awake. She's just administering the Mandrake Juice – I daresay the Basilisk's victims will be waking up any moment now."

At this, Harry saw Lily's head snap up, and he knew she was thinking of Hermione. Lily looked hesitant, unsure whether to stay with Harry, or be with Hermione as she woke. Harry caught her eye and smiled.

"Go, Mum. I'll be fine," he said. "And you'll have to tell Hermione what's happened. You know she'll have hundreds of questions." He glanced across at James, who was also looking hesitant. James caught Dumbledore's eye, and something seemed to pass between them.

"Lils, I'll stay with Harry," he said, getting up and embracing his wife reassuringly. "Tell Hermione I love her, and I'll be up soon."

Lily nodded and walked to the doorway where the Weasleys, Lockhart in tow, were waiting. Sirius, Katie and Remus seemed to be having a silent conversation. Just before Lily walked out, Remus and Katie stood.

"We'll come too," Remus said, before turning to Harry. "Harry, well done. It's probably best if you stay the night in the Hospital Wing too, so we'll wait for you up there." Remus squeezed his shoulder and Katie gave him a quick hug.

Once they had left, Dumbledore turned to McGonagall.

"I think this all merits a good _feast_, don't you Minerva? Might I ask you to go and alert the kitchens?"

Professor McGonagall nodded, the smallest smile gracing her mouth at the way Harry, James and Sirius had all perked up at the mention of a feast.

She left, and Dumbledore turned to the remaining three people seated before him.

"First of all Harry," said Dumbledore, his blue eyes twinkling as he took in the boy in front of him. "I want to thank you. You must have shown me real loyalty down in the Chamber. Nothing but that could have called Fawkes to you."

James and Sirius were both gazing in awe at the brilliant phoenix as it fluttered down to land on Dumbledore's knee, and Harry grinned awkwardly.

"And so you met Tom Riddle. I'm sure he would have been rather interested to meet you." James and Sirius both looked sharply at Dumbledore and Sirius opened his mouth to speak. Before he could, however, Harry interrupted him as something which had been nagging him came tumbling out of his mouth.

"He said I was like him. Strange likenesses, he said." Harry couldn't bear to look at anyone as he admitted it.

"And do you think you are like him?" Dumbledore asked, silencing James' refusal by raising his hand.

"No!" said Harry vehemently. "I don't think I'm _anything_ like him. I could never – I mean, I'm a Gryffindor – " Harry broke off, suddenly overcome by doubt. Because the Sorting Hat hadn't wanted to put him in Gryffindor, had it?

"The Sorting Hat, it said – ," he paused, struggling to find the words and determined not to look at either his father or Sirius. "It said I would do well in Slytherin. It only put me in Gryffindor because I asked it to."

From the corner of his eye, Harry saw James' eyes widen in surprise, but his attention was soon recaptured by Dumbledore.

"Ah, and there is the crux of the matter," Dumbledore said. "For it is our choices which really determine who we are. And it is _your_ choices Harry, which set you apart from Tom Riddle."

Harry was still unconvinced, and, seeing this, James came to stand behind him, resting his hands on Harry's shoulders.

"Harry, you are as unlike Voldemort as it is possible to be. You risked your own life to save Ginny tonight. Voldemort was the one trying to kill you both. I'm sure you can see how these actions are rather different." James' tone was light, but he squeezed Harry's shoulders gently to show his support.

"James is right. I've known you since you were born, Harry, and you're no evil wizard. I should know; I grew up with most of them." Sirius said.

Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling as he passed the sword to Harry from where it rested on the desk, and indicated for him to turn it over.

There, inscribed in a flowing script, was the name '_Godric Gryffindor"._

"Only a true Gryffindor could have pulled this sword from the Sorting Hat, Harry," he said, as Harry, James and Sirius all stared, dumbstruck, at the sword. For a minute, none of them spoke. Then Dumbledore opened one of the drawers in McGonagall's desk and pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill.

"What you need, Harry, is a good night's rest," he said as he began to write. "Sirius, would you deliver this message to Azkaban? We need our game-keeper back."

Sirius nodded, and accepted the finished note from Dumbledore.

"And I must draft an advertisement for the Daily Prophet. It seems we are in need of a new Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor," Dumbledore continued, smiling genially at Harry and James as Sirius left. "Might I suggest that the two of you go to the Hospital Wing for some rest? I'm sure Miss Potter is awake and wanting to see you. If she has not already done so, ask Poppy Pomfrey to arrange some rooms for our guests, please James?"

Harry got up and crossed for the door with his father. He had just reached for the handle, however, when the door burst open so violently that it bounced back off the wall.

Lucius Malfoy stood there, fury in his face. Cowering under his arm, heavily wrapped in bandages, was _Dobby_.

Harry ignored the interactions between his father, Lucius and Dumbledore, too busy staring in shock at the house-elf. Dobby had appeared to him twice more during the school year, and each time, Harry had only narrowly avoided serious injury.

Harry looked up in time to see both his father and Malfoy practically spitting with fury, as Dumbledore held up the diary, still smoking slightly from the hole in the middle. But Harry's attention was once again claimed by the elf, as it was acting rather odd. His great eyes fixed meaningfully on Harry, he kept pointing to the diary, then at Mr Malfoy, and then hitting himself hard on the head with his fist.

"I see..." said Malfoy slowly to Dumbledore, though Harry had no idea what they were talking about.

"A clever plan," said Dumbledore in a level voice, still staring Mr Malfoy straight in the eye. "Because if Harry here – " Mr Malfoy shot Harry a swift, sharp look, "and his friend Ron hadn't discovered this book, why – Ginny Weasley might have taken all the blame. No one would ever be able to prove that she hadn't acted of her own free will ..."

James was looking murderously at Malfoy, and seemed to be only barely restraining himself from attacking him.

And suddenly, Harry understood. And as soon as he did, he felt like attacking Malfoy himself.

"Don't you want to know how Ginny got hold of that diary, Mr Malfoy?" said Harry.

Lucius Malfoy rounded on him.

"How should I know how the stupid little girl got hold of it?" he asked.

James drew his wand, but Harry broke in. "Because you gave it to her," he replied. "In Flourish and Blotts. Or I should say, you gave it to Ron. You picked up his old Transfiguration book, and slipped the diary inside it, didn't you?"

"Prove it." He hissed.

"Oh, no one will be able to do that," said Dumbledore, smiling at Harry and effectively cutting off James' angry retort. "Not now Riddle has vanished from the book. On the other hand, I would advise you, Lucius, not to go giving out any more of Lord Voldemort's old school things. If any more of them find their way into innocent hands, I think the Auror Department," he gave a small nod to James, who still stood with a menacing look on his face, wand raised. "And Arthur Weasley in particular, will make sure they are traced back to you..."

Lucius Malfoy stood for a moment, and Harry distinctly saw his right hand twitch, as though he was longing to go for his wand. Instead, he turned to his house-elf.

"We're going, Dobby!"

He wrenched open the door, and as the elf came hurrying up to him, he kicked him right through it. They could hear Dobby squealing with pain all the way along the corridor. Harry stood for a moment, thinking hard. Then it came to him.

"Professor, I think we should return the diary to Mr Malfoy, don't you?" James looked confused, but Dumbledore merely smiled and passed over the diary.

"I'll be right back," Harry called, as he hurried through the door, pulling of his shoe as he went. He could hear Dobby's squeals of pain receding round the corner. Wondering if his plan would work, Harry quickly took of his slimy, filthy sock, and stuffed the diary inside it. Then he ran down the dark corridor.

He caught up with them at the top of the stairs.

"Mr Malfoy," he gasped, skidding to a halt, "I've got something for you."

And he forced the smelly sock right into Lucius Malfoy's hand.

"What the – ?"

Malfoy ripped the sock off the old diary, threw it aside, and then looked furiously from the ruined book to Harry.

"Your time will come, Harry Potter," he said softly. "And this time, your parents won't be around to save you."

He turned to go.

"Come, Dobby. I said, _come!_"

But Dobby didn't move. He was holding up Harry's disgusting, slimy sock and looking at it as though it was a priceless treasure.

"Master has given Dobby a sock," said the elf in wonderment, and Harry felt a flash of triumph that his hasty plan had worked.

"Dobby – Dobby is _free_." The elf said in disbelief, a huge smile growing on his face.

Lucius Malfoy stood frozen, staring at the elf. Then he lunged at Harry.

"You've lost me my servant, boy!"

But Dobby shouted, "You shall not harm Harry Potter!"

There was a loud bang, and Malfoy was thrown backwards. He crashed down the stairs, three at a time, landing in a crumpled heap on the landing below. He got up, his face livid, and pulled out his wand, but Dobby raised a long threatening finger.

"You shall go now," he said fiercely, pointing down at Malfoy. "You shall not touch Harry Potter. You shall go now."

Lucius Malfoy had no choice. With a last, incensed stare at the pair of them, he swung his cloak around him and hurried out of sight.

"Harry Potter freed Dobby!" said the elf jubilantly, gazing up at Harry in adoration.

"Least I could do, Dobby," said Harry, grinning. "Just promise never to try to save my life again."

The elf's ugly brown face split suddenly into a wide, toothy smile.

"I've just got one question, Dobby," said Harry, as Dobby pulled on Harry's sock with shaking hands. "You told me all this had nothing to do with He Who Must Not Be Named, remember? Well – "

"It was a clue, sir," said Dobby, his eyes widening, as though this was obvious. "Dobby was giving you a clue. The Dark Lord, before he changed his name, could be freely named, you see?"

"Right," said Harry weakly. "Well, I'd better go. I have to see Ginny, and my sister should be awake by now ..."

Dobby threw his arms around Harry's middle and hugged him.

"Harry Potter is greater by far than Dobby knew!" he sobbed. "Farewell, Harry Potter!"

And with a final loud crack, Dobby disappeared. Harry walked back to the office feeling satisfied. Ginny was safe, Dobby was free, and Hermione was awake. He could go up to the Hospital Wing, maybe have a quick chat to Ginny to make sure she was alright, and then have a nice long rest. The Hogwart's Express would be leaving in three days. Maybe he could sleep till then.

**A/N:** By the way, just thought I'd mention that I'm still open to ideas for a new title, if anyone's got some suggestions.


End file.
